J&K's first BPO to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi

File photo used only for representational purpose.

Srinagar: With the promise of providing jobs and a better future for young men and women in the state, Jammu and Kashmir will soon get its first-ever Business Process Outsourcing company (BPO) in Bandipora. The BPO would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state this Sunday, February 3.

The BPO has the potential of transforming hundreds of lives in Bandipora - a district that has often been in the grips of terrorism and terror-related activities. The rural BPO here, therefore, would provide employment opportunities and the hope of a respectable livelihood to hundreds of young people.

The BPO would provide employment to 250 local youths in the first batch. Another 600 young people would be provided with IT-related training with the ultimate objective of completely eradicating unemployment in Bandipora. "Our plan was to create a BPO that would employ 250 educated youths. Kashmir does not have a situation which allows investment from the outside while demand for jobs has been rising," said district commissioner Iqbal Chowdhary. "This is why we started this pilot project and it has received a good response."

Going by the good response, there are also plans of opening such BPOs in other disticts of the state in order to provide employment to locals. "The demand has been high and we do not have enough space yet.  After this, companies want that a bigger space be given so that an even bigger BPO can be established," said Chowdhary.

The presence of private sector enterprises in Jammu and Kashmir is almost negligible and employment opportunities for educated people in rural areas have so far been limited. With BPOs, the aim is to not only help these people earn money to take care of their needs but to equip more and more with the required skill sets for a more secure future.