Give Jammu and Kashmir a chance, Omar Abdullah tells India Inc

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has asked India Inc to help in creating conditions for resurrection of industry and help in solving the problem of "unemployability" in his home state.

"I am not asking you to look to invest immediately. I am looking to you to help me create the conditions that will make you want to invest in Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah said on Friday, addressing a gathering of the who's who of Corporate India at an award ceremony.

He asked the industrialist to help solve the two related problems that, according to him needed to be addressed urgently - employment and unemployability.

"It is the problem of unemployability that corporate India can help me with by helping give youngsters of Jammu and Kashmir a skill-set that will make them attractive not just in the state but in the rest of the country," the 38-year-old chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said.

"There is a lot that Jammu and Kashmir has to give to you - both personally and professionally. Just give us a chance," he added.

"I am extremely happy that industrialists here today not only spoke of coming to Kashmir but also about re-establishing industry there. My endeavour would be to make it easy for them," Abdullah told reporters after the award function.

Essar Group has committed to develop two IT parks - one each in Jammu and Srinagar - which will create jobs for four thousand people, Essar Steel's managing director, Prashant Ruia, said.