Jammu and Kashmir has registered 60,2979 unemployed youth with its employment department for seeking jobs in the state.

"Unemployment has reached an alarming proportion in the state. The number of registered unemployed youth at present is 602979", an official of the Employment Department said here.

Several measures are being taken to tackle unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for the Youth (SKEWPY) has been launched in the State to tackle the problems of unemployment in a systematic and coordinated manner, he said.

The programme envisages interim relief in the form of Voluntary Allowance (VSA) to unemployed youth till they finally get regular employment, more than 2,2800 youth have been covered, he said.

The employment department has offered opportunities to the youth for setting up of self Employment units under J and K state self employment scheme, he said.

During the years 2010-11 and 2011-12, 2,704 units and 2,781 units have been set up providing leams of livelihood to unemployed youth, official said.