The Chief Secretary, Dr.Arun Kumar Mehta today chaired a meeting to review the implementation of the employment generating schemes in Jammu and Kashmir.Administrative Secretaries of Rural Development, Housing &UD, Labour & Employment, Social Welfare, Planning Monitoring and Development, School Education and Revenue departments, besides Chairman, J&K Bank and other senior officers participated in the meeting.Chairman, J&K Bank informed that credit will be lent to 3 lakh new entrepreneurs for setting up agri-ventures for self employment during the year. He informed that there is a target to reach out to 12 lakh people associated with the priority sector for lending during the current fiscal.Administrative Secretary, Agriculture Production/Animal Husbandry department informed that his department is targeting an annual additional self employment of 20,000 to 25,000 in animal and husbandry sector.The Chief Secretary advised the department to prepare an employment plan for the agriculture and allied sectors for the current fiscal year in line with the inherent employment potential of these sectors and the compelling need to saturate employment in the sectors to boost employment, wages and prospect. While informing that so far 8651 self employment opportunities have been created under the Mission, MD, Mission Youth stated that the Mission is on course to achieving the target of 50000 employment by the end of the fiscal.The Chief Secretary announced that the Mission should aim to achieve employment opportunities for 10000 people in the next month through convergent action with agriculture department.It was informed that Under NRLM, 70000 women have been brought within the fold of SHGs for sustainable livelihood. MD, NRLM, stated that the target of employment for 25000 people fixed under the programme shall be achieved by the end of the financial year.While stating that although only 202 Bank Sakhis have been engaged so far, MD, NRLM held out the assurance that the target of engaging 2000 bank Sakhis shall also be met as there is adequate scope in this space to provide means of livelihood to the women by engaging them as Sakhis.Administrative Secretary U&DD informed that 846 cases sponsored under NULM are stuck for sanction in the banks.Under PMEGP, it was informed that the department has created employment for 63829 people against an annual target of 1. 5 lakh employment. It was further informed that more than 6000 cases are presently pending for sanction at the banks. The department assured that the target of 1.5 lakh employment shall be met by the end of the current fiscal.While announcing that the employment continues to be the overriding focus of the government and that the government is committed to bring down the unemployment rate below 5 %, the Chief Secretary urged the departments to gear up to achieve the new target of 3 lakh employment with a renewed vigour and sense of purpose.Dr Mehta advised Administrative Secretary Labour and Employment to continuously monitor the creation of employment opportunities across all sectors on daily bases, especially the delay in sanction of the government sponsored cases in the banks, while further adding that if a bank delays sanction in a case beyond a month, it should be brought to his notice so that remedial measures are taken.
