Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that there is a need to focus on skill development and entrepreneurship for creating ample job opportunities to harness the state's talented human resource.
"We will create an enabling environment to utilize the youth power at our disposal for productivity and inward wealth generation. Information Technology is a happening sector and there is a need to start courses which promote Kashmir's famed skills in handicraft," Sayeed said here.
The Chief Minister toured many areas of the summer capital here and the adjoining district of Budgam to take first hand appraisal of technical, industrial and sports infrastructure, besides follow up inspection of ongoing city works, an official spokesman said.
He also inspected the ongoing work at SPS Museum, Astroturf at TRC Ground, besides Old Zero and upcoming bridge near Presentation Convent School at Raj Bagh here.
Sayeed visited the Aegis Call Centre, set up by ESSAR Group, where he interacted with the staff of the customer care service. He expressed his desire to enhance the intake capacity of the BPO.
During his visit to Mumbai earlier this month, the Chief Minister was assured by Anshuman Ruia of the Aegis Group to double the number of seats at its existing call centres.
At Industrial Estate Ompora, Sayeed said the place is ideally-suited for establishing high-tech industry. He issued directions for demarcation of at least 350 kanals of land to facilitate the advent of IT industry at Ompora.
On the issue of concerns raised by the Air Force authorities, the Chief Minister urged Divisional Commissioner to sort out the matter so that the industrial estate is made functional at an earliest, the spokesman said.
While reviewing progress of work on upgrading sports infrastructure, the Chief Minister asked Secretary Sports Council to complete ongoing construction of pavilion at Radpora Stadium, in Nowhatta, within the next three months.
Sayeed also visited Ghani Stadium at Rajouri Kadal, where
he directed for preparing a plan for construction of a pavilion and ensuring proper lighting system to facilitate holding of sports activities, the spokesman said.
Following up on his earlier visit to under-construction SPS Museum, the Chief Minister fixed a deadline of second week of January for completion of ground and the first floor.
He also directed Floriculture Department to complete the landscaping of the museum lawns, the spokesman said.
During his visit to Old Zero Bridge and Jhelum Park, Sayeed directed for finalising a concept plan for developing parking lots on both sides of the bridge.
He was briefed about establishing a houseboat-shaped food court in Jhelum Park, which will go with the ambiance of the heritage bridge.
During his inspection of under-construction bridge near Presentation Convent, the Chief Minister was informed that the work on it will be completed by September 2016.
Being constructed at a cost of Rs 11.65 crore, the bridge will decongest the heavy vehicular traffic on the Abdullah Bridge, the spokesman said.
Sayeed also issued directions for conceptualizing a proposal for establishing a School of Skill Development at Government Women's Polytechnic Institute, Bemina.
He said the proposal should envisage running courses in papier machie, carpet weaving and shawl making, in which Kashmir craftsmen have carved out a niche for themselves.
The Chief Minister interacted with trainees at all the ITIs and assigned the department the task of creating a nodal cell which singularly focuses on creating job opportunities for those who complete their training in electronics, data entry, tallying, embroidery stitch work and other streams, the spokesman said.
Sayeed also asked Secretary IT to work out modalities with AICTE to enhance the intake capacity of students at the ITIs.
