JAMMU: Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, Atal Dulloo, on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme (PMIS) and outlined a comprehensive strategy to enhance its reach and impact across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the School Education Department, Employment and Skill Development Departments, and the Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission, while the Director of PMIS from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, joined via video conferencing.
Emphasizing the importance of the scheme, Atal Dulloo highlighted that the PMIS, launched under the Union Budget 2024–25, aims to improve youth employability by offering structured internships in reputed companies. The scheme provides internships ranging from six to nine months, with a monthly stipend of ₹9,000 and a one-time grant of ₹6,000.
Reviewing progress, officials informed that over 4,400 youth have registered on the PMIS portal in Jammu and Kashmir, with more than 2,800 profiles completed. However, only 68 internship opportunities are currently available in the Union Territory, despite it ranking among the top regions in registrations.
Expressing concern over the gap between registrations and available opportunities, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for stronger industry engagement. He called for proactive coordination with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to increase internship opportunities to at least 1,000 in the coming days.
Setting an ambitious goal, Atal Dulloo directed departments to adopt a mission-mode approach and achieve at least two lakh registrations across all districts. He emphasized leveraging educational institutions such as ITIs, polytechnics, and colleges, along with District Employment and Counselling Centres and Common Service Centres, to maximize outreach.
Secretary, Skill Development Department, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, presented a 100-day roadmap targeting 20,000 registrations in the initial phase through campus drives, awareness campaigns, help desks, and mobile registration units, especially in remote areas.
He also highlighted convergence with Mission YUVA, under which over 4.73 lakh “willing to work” youth have already been identified. Around 2,000 YUVA Doots will be mobilized for door-to-door awareness and registration drives across districts.
The Chief Secretary directed departments to ensure regular monitoring and real-time tracking of progress through digital platforms, while promptly addressing any bottlenecks.
Underscoring the scheme’s transformative potential, Atal Dulloo said PMIS could play a crucial role in bridging the gap between education and employment, preparing the youth of Jammu and Kashmir for the evolving demands of the job market.
