Youth are State’s future, can develop it as per their dreams: Omar

Government be seen as development provider, not as job giver

            SRINAGAR, JULY 09 – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Monday expressed satisfaction over the positive transformation taking place in the mindset of youth regarding their first preference for government jobs.

            “It is heartening to observe that overwhelming majority of educated youth present in the auditorium of SKICC in today’s conference have not indicated government jobs as their first preference”, he said after asking the boys and girls to raise hands whose first preference was government jobs and received negligible affirmative response.

             The Chief Minister was addressing the One Day Seminar-cum-Workshop organized by ASCENT Group in collaboration with the Career Launchers Education to make youth aware and motivate them towards potential job options including those available in Civil Services, Staff Selection Commission, IIT, Banking, Law and other elite ones.

            The seminar-cum-workshop entitled ‘Diverse career choices for the youth: How to fuel aspirations to realize dreams’, is to make youth aware of diverse career choices and ignite passion in them to pursue the targets with determination and confidence.

            Omar Abdullah said that youth are future of the State and the development and progress of it is to be carried forward by the new generation as per their dreams. “You are future ones to take care of the State and develop it as per your dreams”, he told young boys and girls adding that they have rekindle the hope for self sufficient and economically welfare Jammu and Kashmir by categorically expressing least preference for government jobs.

            “In fact, the State Government should not be seen as job provider but a service delivering and development giving concern”, he said adding that it is very difficult for a State like Jammu and Kashmir to manage a huge establishment when its income meagre sources.

            “The total annual income of the State by all means is just Rs. 6500 crores and we have to pay salary to the government employees to the tune of Rs. 13500 crores yearly and the losses per annum on electricity supply account for another Rs. 2000 crores”, he explained and said that even under this kind of scenario the State Government is creating government job facilities for youth to the extent possible.

            The Chief Minister said that new initiatives for skill development and employability of youth have been initiated and the schemes like Udaan and Himayat are under implementation with help of the good office of Prime Minister to prepare the youth for getting absorbed in open job market. He said private investors and companies are being roped in and the negative perception in the minds of big business houses regarding investing in the State is being removed.

            The Chief Minister said that there is diverse and vast choice for today’s youth to select their career. “Gone are the days when medical and engineering fields were only choice for the young generation. There is vast world before you and you are talented enough to prove your ability”, he told the youth asking them to face challenges confidently and prove their excellence.

            “My government has focused to expand the horizon of employability for you and provide you opportunities of employment and entrepreneurship both within and outside the State”, he said expressing the hope that the seminar-cum-workshop will prove beneficial for the participants in so many ways.

            Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik underlined the need for making youth of Jammu and Kashmir aware of vast job market available in the country both in government and private sector. He said apart from Civil Services there are so many other jobs available for youth in so many sectors. He said the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are talented enough to prove their mettle. “They only need polishing and awareness”, he added.  

            Abdul Gani Malik also emphasized the need for encouraging larger participation of educated youth in All India Level Competitive Examinations and said that the increase in participation will increase the success ratio.

            In his welcome speech the Chairman ASCENT Group, M. S. Pandit said that ASCENT Group is organizing awareness and motivation programmes from time to time since 2009 with the objective of creating awareness amongst the aspirants and potential aspirants in respect of All India and State Level Service Examinations generating confidence among them regarding the achievability of these elite services.

            He said that ASCENT is also providing counselling, coaching and mentoring with faculty support from reputed institutions of country to the aspirants of Civil Services. He said the Group has entered into knowledge agreement with a well-known edu-corporate Career Launchers which has made it possible to provide free coaching to ‘J&K Top 25 Bath’ for the Civil Services selected on the basis of screening test.

Governor for revival, promotion of State’s rich cultural heritage

            SRINAGAR, JULY 9 – Mr. N. N. Vohra, Governor, has emphasized the need for effectively reviving and showcasing the glorious composite cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir. .

          Interacting with a delegation of the Jammu Kashmir Film Makers And Artists Cooperative Ltd. (JKFMAC), Srinagar, which called on him at Raj Bhavan here today, the Governor stressed the need for all required steps being taken to promote the performing arts through the involvement of all available local talent. In this context, the Governor observed that organizations like JKFMAC can play a crucial role for promoting art and culture.

          The Governor enquired from the delegation about the activities of the JKFMAC and the initiatives being taken by them to promote theatre and other cultural activities in the State.

          The delegation informed the Governor that the JKFMAC has planned to organize a 10-day State Level Theatre Festival at Srinagar in the last week of August this year with a view to revive and promote rich cultural heritage of the State. Plays in Kashmiri, Dogri, Ladakhi, Punjabi and Hindustani will be staged during this event. Festival, which will commence with the presentation of a play by Saadat Hasan Manto as part of the centenary celebrations of his birth. The delegation urged the Governor to inaugurate the Theatre Festival and release a book being brought out on this occasion and thanked him for taking keen interest in the promotion of languages, literature, art, culture and theatre movement in the State.

          Mr. Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor, was present on the occasion. 

          The delegation comprised Mr. Ayash Arif, President, JKFMAC, Mr. Shabbir Hyder, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mushtaq Wani, Treasurer and Mr. G. M. Wani, Member of the Organization.