While continuing to combat terrorist attacks, J&K residents battle out another demon – unemployment. The region, deprived of industrial growth so far, had almost nothing but tourism and a few small and mid-scale businesses to survive. So, its employment potential has always remained untapped from the nation’s point of view.
The abrogation of Article 370 can help boost the employment potential of the Union Territories. However, it’s been only two years since the decision. Hence, it will take some time to introduce reforms and create employment in Kashmir. Nevertheless, here’s what can be done to enhance the employment potential of J&K.
5 Factors that can Augment J&K Employment Potential in the Long Run
1. Establish Normalcy
At the outset, it is necessary to restore normalcy in the region. Regardless of whether a Muslim, Hindu, or immigrant, the average Kashmiri shouldn’t dread stepping outside the home to win bread for the family. The government might have declared J&K as Union Territories. However, the threat of terrorism still looms. Kashmiris and their generations have been living under its threat for years; however, with Article 370 being repudiated, the government now has a larger responsibility of transforming Kashmir into a place where posterity can survive and blossom happily and fearlessly.
2. Encourage Private Businesses such as Outsourcing
Outsourcing is one of the significant drivers of employment. India is one of the most prominent examples in this world. In fact, an ideal one! The outsourcing industry that gained momentum a couple of decades ago employs millions of Indians today. It continues to grow rapidly, with several companies worldwide looking forward to tapping India’s talent pool to save costs and enhance efficiency. Kashmir also can benefit from the outsourcing industry.
However, to do so, the government will have to assure investors and outsourcing players of safety and the return of investments in the long run. Additionally, the local authorities must team up with the central government and build the required professional learning infrastructure to train Kashmiri youth. The development of resources with capabilities to manage complex tasks can prove helpful in driving investments in the valley.
3. Establish Centers and Institutions for Professional Training
This is pretty much in line with what is said in the latter part of point number two. However, setting up professional training institutions doesn’t refer to outsourcing alone. It refers to establishing institutions offering professional training across various fields such as dairy, horticulture, driving, welding, plumbing, carpentry, catering, linguistics, tourism, and many others. Of course, building such a massive infrastructure will take time. But it is necessary to start from somewhere.
Kashmir already has a significant number of professional training institutions on its soil. But an increase in their numbers and their establishment across various rural areas of the valley can benefit people from every stratum of the society.
4. Safeguard and Promote the Tourism Industry
The snow-clad mountains, the lush green hills, and the pleasant weather of Kashmir have always been a center of attraction for people around the globe. However, somehow, Kashmir hasn’t been able to optimize the benefits of tourism for its growth and development. When someone thinks of visiting Kashmir, it is pretty obvious for him to also think about the threat there. Of course, the various horrifying attacks that have happened over the years are a reason for it.
So, when it comes to promoting tourism, things trickle down to restoring normalcy in the region to ensure tourists feel safe and stay and spend in Kashmir wholeheartedly. Securing the place as a tourist destination can encourage more local youth to take up tourism and allied services as a business and earn a living from it.
5. Promote Entrepreneurship
While it can take time for the government to bring in global investments in Kashmir, it can ignite the region’s business engines by encouraging entrepreneurship in the area. Many Kashmiris, including Kashmiri women, have already done it, and they are doing good for themselves. Some have generated employment and are benefitting society significantly.
But we have many who wish to become entrepreneurs but lack the resources to do it. Accordingly, the concerned state authorities and the central government must develop entrepreneurship programs that focus on training budding entrepreneurs and funding them to start their own venture. Furthermore, establishing incubation centers can help them sustain and grow amidst competition and without prior experience on hand.
When it comes to Jammu and Kashmir, there’s a lot that can be done. And, we believe, it will be done. So, let us hope the region soon comes into mainstream business and prospers like the other states in India.
