Jammu, March 15. The unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir fell from 6.7% in 2019-20 to 6.1% in 2023-24, according to the J-K administration, citing numerous initiatives taken in this respect, including the creation of 9.58 lakh job opportunities through various schemes.
This improvement is also reflected in the labour force participation rate (LFPR) and workers population ratio (WPR), which increased to 64.3% and 60.4%, respectively, in 2023-24, demonstrating increased employment opportunities and economic activity in the Union Territory, J-K minister Javed Ahmad Dar told the Assembly on Saturday.
Responding to a query from National Conference MLA Mubarak Gul, Dar stated on behalf of Employment Minister Surinder Choudhary that the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir has not increased much since 2019.
According to J-K’s 2025 Economic Survey report, the unemployment rate was 6.7% in 2019-20, dropping to 5.9% in 2020-21, 5.2% in 2021-22, 4.4% in 2022-23, and 6.1% in 2023-24.The steady decline in the unemployment rate, combined with increases in LFPR and WPR, reflects the success of targeted policies and initiatives aimed at boosting the labour market to sustain economic growth, further reduce unemployment, and improve the overall quality of life for J-K’s citizens,” Dar stated.
Dar stated that the J-K Public Service Commission and J-K Services Selection Board have made 11,526 selections in the last two years, including 4,836 (1,141 by JKPSC and 3695 by JKSSB) in 2023 and 6,690 (1,034 by JKPSC and 56,756 by JKSSB) in 2024. Dar reported that 45,688 unemployed adolescents were hired in the industrial sector in 2022-23 (15,719) and 2023-24 (29,969).
Furthermore, 9.58 lakh self-employment opportunities were created in the last four years through schemes such as ‘Mumkin’, ‘Tejaswani’, Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), and Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP), according to the minister. Up to January this year, 2,99,266 livelihood opportunities were created in 2021-22, 2,83,664 in 2022-23, 2,38,675 in 2023-24, and 1,36,165 in 2024-25.
According to Dar, 3.01 crore person-days were generated under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) between now and January 2025, generating employment to 8.07 lakh households. The minister stated that the government has also launched important projects aimed at youth development, entrepreneurship, and livelihood generating.
Dar stated that the government has launched ‘Mission Yuva’ for self-employment and entrepreneurship with the goal of identifying, supporting, and empowering five lakh potential entrepreneurs through a systematic and technology-driven strategy.
He added that the major goals of this effort are to build around 1,37,000 new firms across industries and to generate 4.25 lakh job opportunities over the course of the five-year campaign. Dar added that during the last four years, 246 job fairs have been held, with 2,760 employers making 4,893 placements and proposing 6,640 people for skill training.
The government is also encouraging self-employment prospects for job seekers through several line departments, according to the minister, and it has begun providing skill development training throughout the Union Territory. (PTI)
