Srinagar, October 21 (KNS): Peoples Democratic Party on Friday demanded restoration of self help groups.
"Then Government headed by then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 2003 launched a scheme for young unemployed Engineers with an aim to provide self-employment to the engineering graduates and diploma holders by attaining work in government departments through proper tendering," statement issued by PDP Spokesman Mohd Amin Dar said and seeks restoration of self help groups and roll back of draconian order that disemployed thousands of young engineers in the state.
"The government used to give them 30 percent of quota in works programs, and being technocrats, they were able to self-employ as well as generate employment to various people as skilled and unskilled labor’s and technical staff too," it said.
J&K Government head by Chief Minister Mehbooba mufti issued a formal SRO to regularise the work allotment and arrangements to self help groups to further empower them he professionally unemployed youth in developmental works, it added.
"But unfortunately, In 2020, during the tenure of hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of J&K, G.C. Murmu, General Administration Department of Jammu and Kashmir abolished this scheme and issued an order No.: 752-JK (GAD) of 2020 dated 10.08.2020 to the effect," it said.
"This is popularly known as Self Help Group of Engineers, who are more than 1500 in number. They never have been a burden on the state exchequer, but always contributed in the country’s GDP by way of filing of tax returns, proper GST norms and other taxes as requisite by the government," statement reads.
" They have always been on tenterhooks for the development of Jammu and Kashmir with their unparalleled expertise and skills.Their demand is that the GAD order No.: 752-JK (GAD) of 2020 dated 10.08.2020 must be revoked so that they could continue to give back to society what they have been trained for besides they will be able to generate employment for others," statement reads.
"A genuine demand that needs to be considered for the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir," it said.(KNS)