The Essar group of industries Tuesday started setting up Jammu and Kashmir's first Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), which will generate 4,000 jobs in the state that has around 300,000 jobless youth who are often targeted for recruitment by militant outfits.

Essar has promised to establish two BPOs, one each in Srinagar and Jammu, at a cost of Rs.100 crore (one billion)."The BPOs being established by the Essar group of industries would generate jobs for 4,000 youth in the state," Abdullah said.

"The launching of the BPOs would pave the way for the other business houses to come to Srinagar and Jammu for starting their ventures," the chief minister hoped.Shashi Ruia, chairman of the Essar group of industries, said he found a friendly environment in Srinagar for industrial investment and his effort would be to complete the unit as soon as possible.
According to a 2008 survey, there are 141,000 unemployed youth registered with various employment exchanges in the state, but many jobless youth have not registered themselves with any of the employment exchanges making the rough number of the jobless around 300,000.

The vast potential of the tourism sector in the state for generating economic activities and job opportunities.” The opening of the Srinagar airport for international traffic on 14th of this month would help in a big way to facilitate the inflow of tourists from World over",