Jammu: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has informed the Assembly that the Union Territory’s unemployment rate stands at 6.7 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 3.5 percent, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24 for the 15–59 age group.
Replying to a question in the House, the Labour and Employment Department stated that a large-scale survey was conducted in January 2025 under Mission YUVA in collaboration with district administrations. Out of 64.8 lakh individuals surveyed in the 18–60 age group, nearly 4.73 lakh people reported that they were “not working but willing to work.”
Division-wise data shows that 1.79 lakh such individuals belong to Jammu Division, while 2.94 lakh are from Kashmir Division.
The government clarified that evaluation of recruitment effectiveness does not fall under the Employment Department. However, it emphasized that tackling unemployment—especially among youth—remains a top priority, with a shift in focus from traditional job creation to entrepreneurship-led livelihood generation.
Under Mission YUVA, over 1.71 lakh youth have registered so far, leading to around 70,000 enterprise applications. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been prepared for nearly 52,875 applicants through Small Business Development Units (SBDUs). Of these, 47,816 applications were approved at the district level.
As per official figures, 16,141 applications have completed the process and secured bank sanctions, resulting in establishment of thousands of enterprises. Around 7,339 entrepreneurs have completed training, while nearly 5,000 are currently undergoing training.
Authorities stated that about 9,500 applications were returned by banks due to credit-related or documentation issues, while approximately 37,000 cases remain under various stages of appraisal. Of these, nearly 15,000 are expected to be sanctioned by March 31, 2026, and around 22,000 are assessed as credit-worthy and likely to be cleared in the coming months.
The government maintained that Mission YUVA is a structured and transparent entrepreneurship initiative, not a subsidy-based loan distribution scheme. It added that the programme emphasizes first-generation entrepreneurs, women, and youth from remote areas, with applications received from 95 percent of panchayats across the UT.
In response to another query, the government stated that no independent audit has been conducted by the Directorate General of Audit & Inspections to assess the debt-to-income ratio of youth entrepreneurs availing loans under various schemes.
The reply was tabled by the Minister in-charge of Labour and Employment.
