29,806 employed in J&K govt depts since 2019: Govt data

Employment for 5.2 lakh persons is estimated to have been created through self-employment schemes from August 2019 to June 2022 in the union territory

The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration has recruited 29,806 people in various government departments since 2019, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) told Parliament on Tuesday.

The claim was made by union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai . (File image)

In addition, employment for 520,000 persons is estimated to have been created through various self-employment schemes from August 2019 till June 2022 in the Union territory, Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

“The government of Jammu and Kashmir has carried out recruitment in the public sector from the year 2019 onwards totaling 29,806,” Rai said replying to a written question by Kerala Congress MP Benny Behanan.

On August 5, 2019, the Centre effectively revoked Article 370, which bestowed special status to the erstwhile state, and Article 35A, which barred non-locals from buying or owning immovable property in Jammu and Kashmir, settling there permanently, or availing benefits of state-sponsored scholarship schemes. The constitutional provision acknowledged the special status of the (then) state of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of autonomy and its ability to formulate laws for the state’s permanent residents.

Earlier, in a response in March, the Centre said several steps have been taken to boost development of J&K including 53 projects pertaining to 15 ministries, being implemented at a cost of ₹58,477 crore, in various sectors such as roads, power, health, education, tourism, agriculture, skill development, among others. Of these, 25 projects have been completed or substantially completed already, it had said.