Companies target militant hotbeds in Kashmir to hunt young talent

Success of the first phase of Udaan (special industry initiative) scheme has prompted the Union home ministry to target the militant hotbeds of Handwara, Baramulla and Sopore in north Kashmir to scout for young talent this time. The scheme is becoming a roaring success with hundreds of J&K youth joining the initiative and finding excellent job opportunities to match their potential. This is the first time that the group of companies are making forays into the tough locales of militant hotbeds of Handwara, Sopore and Baramulla.

What is Udaan?
Udaan, a special industrial initiative scheme, was conceived in 2010-11 on the recommendations of Rangarajan Committee for setting up a progressive programme for training of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir by the Corporate located in different states and make them employable. It is facilitated by union home ministry and national skill development corporation (NSDC). Despite having huge talent, J&K youth were not able to get jobs because of volatility in the region. Though a dud in the first year, it picked up speed in 2013 with several hundreds J&K youth, girls and boys, coming forward to get enrolled in the camps set up by the corporate.

How many J&K youth benefited from it?
In last two years, Udaan has helped train more than 6,000 J&K youth of which 2,574 have got jobs in top-rated corporate houses such as Tata Consultancy Services, Reliance, CMC, Ligare, Tata Motors, Yes Bank, Canara Bank and Accenture. The Centre has fixed a target to get 40,000 youth employed in five years (2013-2015). The commitment of 63-odd corporate exceeds it by double as they have agreed to train and absorb 80,000 J&K youth in five years.

Is there any opposition to the scheme?
The hardline faction of Hurriyat is opposed to the scheme. It thinks the scheme has deliberately been started by the Indian government to scuttle the struggle of Kashmiris, especially the youth, the main driving force behind agitations. The youth, however, seems to be rejecting this idea lately by coming forward in large numbers to talent hunt camps.

Which firms are in the talent hunt this time?
Ten top corporate houses from varied fields of human resource, management and corporate solutions, IT solutions, retail chains, automation solutions and infrastructure development such as Accenture, Future Learning, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS), Manpower Ltd., Mount Talent, Reliance Industries, Rooman Technology,Sahaj e-Village Ltd., Fidelis and Prolific Systems & Technologies will hold two day camp in Handwara on February 18 and 19. Later, a group of 10 more companies will hold two day camp in Baramulla on February 24-25 and subsequently in Sopore, the hometown of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, in March.