SRINAGAR: Secretary, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj (RDD&PR), Mohammad Aijaz Asad, on Monday chaired a meeting to review progress on Himayat Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting focused on evaluating the progress and future of the scheme aimed at skilling and employing rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Director, RDD, Kashmir, Shabir Hussain Bhat , Director Finance, Umar Khan, Chief Operating Officer, Himayat, Rajneesh Gupta, Joint Director Planning, Kamal Kumar, Additional Secretary, Kartar Singh, Deputy Secretary Abdul Khabir and others.
During the meeting, the Secretary evaluated the status of Himayat Scheme and suggested measures to enhance its implementation across the UT. He emphasized the need for skill gap analysis and strengthening of support activities such as job fairs and alumni meets to enhance outreach and mobilization. He urged officials to collaborate to achieve the scheme's targets and ensure that benefits reach even the most remote areas.
Aijaz Asad also called for creation of an action plan for the scheme's next phases, focusing on districts that have not been adequately covered. He highlighted the need to train candidates in in-demand and emerging fields. The Secretary stated that the Himayat Scheme can be further enhanced to ensure that more rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir have access to quality training and employment opportunities.
It was informed that 33,218 candidates have been trained under the Himayat Scheme so far, with 14,390 successfully placed in various sectors. Additionally, 702 individuals are currently undergoing training. Chief Operating Officer, Himayat, Rajneesh Gupta, briefed about the performance and ongoing activities of the Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs).
He acknowledged challenges such as the non-commencement of new projects since January 2022 and the lack of migration support centers, which have impacted job retention for those placed outside the Union Territory. To address these issues, Gupta proposed several recommendations, including the engagement of district and block-level staff, the onboarding of new PIAs, the establishment of a central monitoring center, and the conduct of skill gap analyses.
