NEW DELHI: Union home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday urged industry captains to train and employ the youth in Jammu & Kashmir. During a meeting with around 20 CEOs, the home minister also asked them to examine possibilities of marketing J&K’s agricultural produce.
RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, who attended the meeting, said, “I am principally interested in training and placement in the retail sector.”
On Thursday, Union home secretary R K Singh met about 20 senior officials of public sector units with a similar objective.
The home ministry and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) are spearheading a special industry initiative, Udaan, to train and employ 40,000 J&K youth in five years. After training, the companies must ensure 100% placement for the youth.
The initiative follows recommendations by an expert group headed by C Rangarajan.
On December 2, Chidambaram had met chiefs and senior officials of about 28 PSUs, including Indian Oil, Power Finance Corporation, BHEL, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, State Bank ofIndia, Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and NTPC. But, the outcome was disappointing.
On Thursday, bosses of several PSUs, including NTPC, BHEL and ONGC, promised to “return with firm figures in 15-20 days”, said a home ministry official.
Besides Goenka, current CII president Adi Godrej and several former CII chiefs like Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj, HeroMotoCorp joint MD Sunil Munjal and Infosys co-chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan, who is the CII president-designate, were present in the meeting.
Goenka told ToI, “It was a useful meeting. This was the first time at least I got to understand how the industry can positively contribute to integrate the youth of J&K. The industry fundamentally supported the home minister.”
The CEOs said they would discuss within their companies and get back to the home minister.
A senior home ministry official said at both meetings emerging positive trends like improved security scenario, almost residual militancy, improved flow of tourists and pilgrims in J&K were highlighted.
While launching Udaan website in March, Chidambaram had said eight corporate companies have entered into an agreement with NSDC to train 8,290 youth in various sectors like business management, software and BPO.