Locals account for 83.67% of total workforce
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, Apr 17: Around 76% of the workforce in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is unskilled, with local women forming the largest share among them, a recent Baseline Survey conducted by the Labour & Employment Department under the Mission Yuva has revealed.
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The survey also highlighted a growing reliance on non-local labour for performing various unskilled jobs in the region.
This dependence, according to the survey, is primarily due to limited access to structured skill development programs within the UT-particularly for women.
The survey panel has, as such, recommended immediate implementation of targeted skill development initiatives, especially for local women, and introduction of vocational training programs aligned with industry needs to build a skilled and self-sufficient workforce.
The survey further claimed that local employees account for 83.67% of the total workforce, while 16.33% are non-locals. However, non-local workers form a significant portion of the unskilled segment, particularly in female-dominated job sectors like textiles, domestic work, and hospitality due to labour shortages or lower local participation.
The survey also provided a gender-wise distribution in the skilled workforce.
It stated that there are 33,271 local males and 3,737 non-local males employed in skilled roles. Similarly, 4,283 skilled local females were identified, far outnumbering the 939 non-local skilled female workers.
Despite these numbers, the survey noted a gender disparity in skilled employment, citing barriers such as societal norms, lack of vocational access, and limited opportunities for women in high-skilled sectors.
The unskilled segment, as per the survey, however, painted a different picture, with 23,943 non-local unskilled workers actively engaged in the labour force.
Many are employed in sectors with low local participation, reflecting either a shortage of local manpower or preference for migrant labour in low-wage roles.
When it comes to workforce-related challenges, a majority 55.7% of the respondents reported no difficulties while 33.2% pointed to high labour costs, and 8.3% cited a shortage of skilled workers.
The report concluded that the rising cost of skilled labour stems from a mismatch in demand and supply, further compounded by the non-availability of trained manpower within the UT.
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