Srinagar: The Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday revealed that the unemployment rate in the Union Territory stood at 6.1% for individuals aged 15 years and above in 2023-24, as per the latest data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
Responding to a query by National Conference (NC) MLA Tanvir Sadiq in the Assembly, the government stated that 3,70,811 unemployed youth had voluntarily registered on the employment portal by the end of January 2025. To tackle the growing unemployment issue, the administration has implemented various self-employment schemes, significantly boosting job opportunities.
The government highlighted that under flagship initiatives like Mumkin, Tejaswani, Mission Youth, PMEGP, and REGP, 9.58 lakh self-employment opportunities have been created since 2021. In the current financial year (2024-25), 1.36 lakh new jobs have been generated. Additionally, the MGNREGA programme has played a crucial role in employment generation, creating 3.01 crore person-days of work, benefiting 8.07 lakh households across the region.
In a bid to further encourage entrepreneurship and skill development, the government has launched Mission YUVA, an ambitious initiative aimed at establishing 1.35 lakh entrepreneurship units and creating employment for 4.5 lakh youth in Jammu and Kashmir. Regular job fairs and skill training programmes are being conducted to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers while promoting private sector employment.
Despite these efforts, the government acknowledged that unemployment among educated and skilled youth remains a significant challenge due to the lack of private sector industries in Jammu and Kashmir. As a result, many young professionals migrate to other states or seek opportunities abroad. With the government sector already having a comparatively high employee-to-population ratio, authorities are now focusing on expanding private investment to create sustainable job opportunities in the region.
