Mission YUVA launched to counter crisis as female urban unemployment touches 28.6%
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD):Jammu and Kashmir is facing a growing crisis, with youth unemployment soaring to 17.4 per cent, nearly seven percentage points higher than the national average of 10.2 per cent, according to the latest government report. The data has triggered widespread concern among policy-makers, economists, and civil society, raising urgent questions about the region’s job creation strategies and economic model.
The figures were released as part of the Baseline Survey Report 2024–25, launched under the government’s new initiative Mission YUVA (Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan)—an ambitious programme unveiled by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. The mission aims to provide a structured response to unemployment through enterprise support, skill development, and self-employment promotion.
The report places overall unemployment in J&K at 6.7 per cent, almost double the national average of 3.5 per cent recorded in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24. Particularly concerning is the urban female unemployment rate, which has reached a staggering 28.6 per cent, underscoring the gendered barriers women continue to face in the job market.
“We need urgent, inclusive, and targeted interventions to absorb young talent into the economy,” the report emphasises. “Ignoring this trend could result in long-term social and economic consequences.”
Mission YUVA: A Promising Start
Mission YUVA has laid out an ambitious roadmap for economic revitalisation in J&K. The programme proposes to create 1.37 lakh new enterprises and generate 4.25 lakh jobs over the next five years. It aims to capitalise on the region’s strong entrepreneurial spirit, particularly in the services sector, which now dominates the local economy.
The report notes that 48 per cent of the working population in J&K is self-employed, a figure well above the national average. This reflects a deep-rooted culture of entrepreneurship, but also signals the lack of structured employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors.
However, the report also flags key obstacles: access to early-stage financing, mentorship, and business infrastructure remains inadequate. It calls for stronger institutional support and private sector engagement to nurture startups and microenterprises.
Regional Disparities and Economic Shifts
The district-wise unemployment figures reveal stark disparities. Rajouri tops the unemployment chart at 9.3 per cent, followed by Anantnag at 8.7 per cent. On the other end of the spectrum, Samba has the lowest jobless rate at 3 per cent, while Jammu and Srinagar stand at 3.3 per cent and 5.9 per cent, respectively.
The report also highlights a significant economic transformation in the region over the last two decades. Once primarily agrarian, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a steady decline in agriculture’s contribution to its economy—from 28.06 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2004–05 to just 16.91 per cent in 2022–23. In contrast, the services sector now drives 63.57 per cent of the GSDP, while industrial growth continues to lag.
Despite this shift, industrial job creation has not kept pace with the growing educated workforce. The report urges the government to promote high-skilled, knowledge-driven enterprises, especially in IT, renewable energy, tourism, and digital services.
Way Forward
While Mission YUVA offers a structured response to the employment crisis, experts warn that sustained investment, governance reforms, and industry-academia linkages are essential to ensure its success.
“Unemployment is not just an economic issue; it’s a social challenge that can impact stability and future growth,” said a senior labour economist at the launch event. “J&K needs a long-term vision that combines education, skills, capital, and policy support.”
With youth unemployment emerging as one of the most pressing issues in post-reorganisation Jammu and Kashmir, the report acts as both a wake-up call and a blueprint for change. If implemented sincerely, Mission YUVA could well become a turning point in the region’s economic narrative.(DD)
