Srinagar, Aug 07: In a bid to create more employment opportunities for unemployed engineers, Jammu and Kasmir government today decided to take up a pilot project to constitute self-help groups for carrying construction activities in government sector. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who asked the employment department to help constituting such self-help groups and offer them construction work in various government departments, official sources said.

The scheme envisages providing contracts to such consortium of unemployed engineers in roads and buildings, rural development, irrigation and flood control, Power Development Corporation and other agencies. A scheme would also be worked out for arranging finance and equipment required for construction activities through loans for them from banks and other financial institutions.

The Chief Minister issued instructions for constituting at least six groups of engineers in as many districts as a model to begin with and once the scheme takes off well, more youth could be encouraged to form groups for undertaking such works.

He said these groups could be registered in the shape of construction companies and given small contracts initially till they attain necessary expertise and skill to execute bigger projects. Bureau Report