Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reviewed the progress of plans to increase jobs in Jammu and Kashmir and asked an expert panel to ensure that employment opportunities were sustainable. A press release issued Sunday said that the prime minister met the expert group, chaired by former Reserve Bank of India governor C. Rangarajan, Saturday evening and was apprised about the progress of the plans. 'The prime minister desired that the group take into account all relevant aspects, like skill enhancement, education and appropriate involvement of civil society and industry, so that employment opportunities generated are sustainable,' said the press release. The expert group has drawn up a number of short and long-term measures for enhancing employment opportunities and improving employability prospects in the state. Manmohan Singh asked the expert group to also give regard to 'equity considerations, in terms of various regions of the state, sectors of the economy, levels of skill, and gender'. The expert group, announced by the prime minister in August, assured Manmohan Singh that these aspects would be taken into account and that its report will be ready within three months, added the press release. On Aug 10, the prime minister had proposed a panel of experts to formulate a job plan for the troubled state that has some 300,000 unemployed youth.
