Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is touring the Chenab valley in Jammu, on Saturday said locals were being ignored in employment in hydel projects, and pledged to raise the issue with the Prime Minister.
“Thousands of local educated, skilled and semi-skilled youth are being ignored for various jobs in local hydel power projects. Many outsiders are being given preference. Even the small and big contracts are being accorded to the outsiders and hundreds of labourers in these power projects have been brought from outside the Union Territory of J&K,” Mr. Azad said.
He said unemployment had touched new heights in J&K. “If needed, I would meet the Prime Minister soon and take up the issue of local youth from the Chenab belt with regard to jobs in power projects,” Mr. Azad said.
