Youth Unemployment Takes Center Stage in Jammu and Kashmir Elections

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are focusing on tackling youth unemployment, which stands at 18.3%, almost double the national average. Parties including BJP, JKNC, and PDP promise job creation and upskilling. The first local assembly elections in a decade bring hope to many unemployed youth in the region.

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are centering their campaigns on tackling the acute issue of youth unemployment ahead of the local assembly elections taking place from September 18 to October 1.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has pledged to create 500,000 new jobs, while local parties like Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) are also emphasizing job creation across various sectors.

The unemployment rate in the region is at a staggering 18.3%, nearly double the national average, intensifying the demand for effective employment policies. The elections, the first in 10 years, offer a glimmer of hope to around 600,000 unemployed individuals in Jammu and Kashmir.

(With inputs from agencies.)