Azad for exploring various means of employment in J

Srinagar, Oct 28 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has called for exploring various means of employment rather than looking for government jobs only in the state.

He said even the non-skilled labourers do not take advantage of jobs provided by such factories and those from outside the state were engaged to carry out non-skilled work in factories and industrial units.

This, Mr Azad said, would add to the employment problem especially in the non-skilled labour sector.

He also stressed the need for indigenous production of building material to give fillip to the massive construction programme launched in the state to put its economy back on rails.

Laying the foundation of the second unit of Khrew cement factory, costing about Rs 100 crore, here, the Chief Minister directed the authorities concerned to complete the project within next 18 months.

The capacity of the unit would be 600 tonnes of high quality cement per day. It would be modern a unit having less consumption of power as compared to the existing one.

The existing unit, having a capacity of 400 tonnes per day, was started in 1974 and commissioned in 1982.

Mr Azad said cement forms an essential ingredient for all construction works and its availability was imperative for durability and success of various projects.

Adequate production of cement from the second unit and its availability within the state would not only help implement the projects well in time, but reduce costs considerably, he added.

The Chief Minister said the unit would augment the capacity of cement production by 600 tonnes per day and help meet the ever increasing demand. Establishment of a cement factory and other industries would not only pave the way for large-scale economic development, but generate substantial jobs as well, he added.

The Chief asked the educated youth and technocrats to set up industrial units with assistance and technical know-how from the departments concerned especially in the fields of horticulture, agriculture and allied sectors so that a new temperament of job seeking and employment generation was created in the state.

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