Srinagar, Jan 04: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prioritise employment opportunities for locals in Jammu and Kashmir’s railway sector as he prepares to inaugurate a new rail division and railway link in the region next week.
In a statement issued here, PDP vice president Sartaj Madni pointed to the alarming unemployment statistics in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the region has the highest youth unemployment rate in India at 32 percent.
“Female joblessness stands at an even more staggering 53.6 percent, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation,” he said.
Madni said while the Prime Minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort has announced the crucial ‘Dil Aur Dilli Ki Doori’, he is duty-bound to fulfill his pledges. “The least he can do is to allocate a separate quota for Kashmiri youth in railways,” he said.
The PDP vice president urged PM Modi to actively allocate jobs in the railways to local youth, particularly in areas with limited employment opportunities. He said the PM’s scheduled inauguration of the Jammu rail junction should come with the announcement of allocating jobs for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Madni added, “Grade III and Grade IV vacancies should be reserved for locals. The Centre must hold special recruitment drives for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir in the railways.”
Highlighting the importance of local participation, Sartaj said that contractual positions should also be offered to residents to ensure the department’s efficient functioning. “This way, unemployed local youth can secure jobs, and the railways will benefit from employees who have a better understanding of the region,” he said.
