Freezing vacant posts a cruel joke on unemployed youth: IIOJK Congress
Says decision will further aggravate unemployment crisis in Kashmir
Jammu: The Congress chapter in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has strongly criticized the National Conference-led government’s decision to freeze the creation of vacant posts as part of austerity measures, calling it a “cruel joke” on the educated unemployed youth already grappling with a severe job crisis in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, addressing a public gathering at Channi Himmat in Jammu, IIOJK Congress working president Raman Bhalla said the decision would further aggravate the unemployment crisis in the territory and shatter the hopes of thousands of qualified youth aspiring for government jobs.
He urged the government to immediately review and withdraw the decision, saying austerity measures should not come at the cost of job creation. Bhalla said that if expenditure needs to be curtailed, the government should begin by reducing unnecessary spending by the ruling elite and senior bureaucracy rather than blocking job opportunities for deserving youth.
Highlighting the worsening unemployment situation in IIOJK, Bhalla said joblessness among educated youth had emerged as the most serious socio-economic challenges facing the territory. He warned that freezing recruitment and keeping vacancies unfilled would only deepen frustration and uncertainty among job seekers.
The Congress leader cautioned that prolonged unemployment could have serious social and economic consequences, including rising distress among youth and a slowdown in overall development. He also pointed out that thousands of vacancies remain unfilled across various government departments despite acute staff shortages in education, healthcare, public administration and rural development sectors.
Calling for a long-term solution, Bhalla demanded a comprehensive employment policy tailored to the needs and aspirations of the youth of IIOJK.
