Provide 70 per cent employment to HP youth or face action: Thakur

Mandi, Sep 6 (UNI) Warning of strict action against those companies violating 70 per cent employment norm in Himachal Pradesh, state's Irrigation and Public Minister (IPH) Kaul Singh Thakur said units violating the conditions would be deprived of the concessions under the central package.

''The government will withdraw concessions to those new units that violate 70 per cent mandatory employment to Himachali youth,'' he said, while speaking at a seminar -- Enhancing employability of Himachali Youth - Opportunities and Challenges'', here.

Mr Thakur said generation of employment for youths was one of the top priorities of the state government, which had been successful in attracting 2,300 new industrial units with a total investment of Rs 23,000 crore during the last three and a half years.

The new units also have a potential to provide employment to over 2,70,000 youth of the state, which had about 7.79 lakh unemployed youth registered with several employment exchanges of the state, he said.

He said since the employment opportunities in the government sector were shrinking fast, the state has made it mandatory for every new units being set up in the state to recruit 70 per cent Himachali youth in their units.

The state government was opposed to setting up industries in the periphery of the state, he said, adding that preference would be given to those units that set up their units in interior parts of the state.

Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Chairman Rajender Guleria, who was also present on the occasion, said there were vast employment opportunities in the industrial sector.

UNI XC AS HS DH PM0408