Jammu, April 17 (IANS) After asking his partymen to switch to election gear, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also working president of his National Conference (NC), reiterated Wednesday his government's commitment to filling vacancies on a fast-track basis.
Addressing a public meeting in the border town of Mendhar in mountainous Poonch district, 220 km north-west of Jammu, Abdullah said: "More than 70,000 vacancies in government departments will be filled up on fast-track by holding interviews at district level by recruiting agencies so that job-seekers from rural and far-off areas do not have to travel long distances."
He added: "I have directed that this be implemented at the earliest so that vacant posts are filled up by eligible candidates."
He also said that creation of jobs for youth in government and private sectors is the focal point of his government's employment policy.
The chief minister said he would take up the issue of organizing recruitment rallies by various central government agencies including Indian Railways for the youth of far-flung areas to expand the job market for them.
Abdullah said the various power and road projects would also employ youth.
He said the state government's future hydro projects in remote areas would also employ local youth.
Earlier, Abdullah had said: "There are over four lakh unemployed youth in the state and the government intends to appoint more than 70,000 of them in government services from this year."
