Jammu, Feb 28 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government has sought the help of European Union in addressing the unemployment problem in the state which has around 300,000 jobless youth.
A delegation of the EU Commission led by its head Daniele Smadja is on a four-day visit to the state to study the situation post-2008 polls, which saw a massive turnout of average 60 percent people participating in the democratic exercise.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made the unemployment plea to the visiting delegation during his 90-minute meeting with the visitors, an official spokesman said.

Abdullah sought cooperation from the EU in capacity building in the state to address the unemployment problem and increase the employability of the youth.

He also sought closer partnership of the EU in the development of small and medium entrepreneurship, adding this sector has a greater potential to flourish in the state and generate employment for thousands of youth.

He said enhancing this sector even by 25 percent would generate 400,000-500,000 jobs for young men and women.

Other members of the EU delegation include Lars-Olof Lindgren, ambassador of Sweden, Bruce Bourdon, political counsellor in embassy of France, Ion de la Riva, ambassador of Spain, and Jan Kreuter, deputy dead of the mission in Czech embassy.