Soaring unemployment rate
Unemployment is not just a problem, it is nursery of problems. It is not just another problem, but an extra ordinary challenge that if not address will give birth to many other problems. Fact of the matter is that it has already done a great damage to our society. Many issues that we are grappling with right now are largely because our youth have no worthwhile economic engagement to fulfil their needs.
Unfortunately our unemployment rates are only going up and up. There are no signs of new opportunities being created by the government within its own space, or by encouraging private sector.
The overall unemployment rate in J&K is 6.7%, nearly double the national average of 3.5%, according to the Baseline Survey Report 2024-25 under Mission YUVA (Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan), that cites the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24, according a to a report. What is more alarming is that the youth unemployment in J&K has gone upto 17.4%. This rate is much higher than the national average. Looking at these rates, one can only shudder.
A quick scan of our society would tell us that people are facing grave problems at the economic front. The markets are very low on activity. The private sector is almost absent, if we strictly apply the standards of employment that are prevalent outside. And the government has lost all appetite in absorbing youth into various departments. The vacancies that are identified in various departments are not being advertised. In case they are, much time is being taken to fill them up. In such a scenario, once doesn’t see any chances of this rate of unemployment coming down. And if that is the case, how do we face the socio-economic problems that are staring us in the face.
It is a challenge to the government primarily, and then to all social animators who have a responsibility of coming to fore and doing their bit in this regard. We need to find spaces for our youth where they can work and earn economic rewards. Those in the society who have the resources to start new businesses, or expand on the already existent businesses, need to take this call with a degree of urgency.
