Jammu, Nov 8 (IANS): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday said that over 900,000 youth would be trained for job placements during the 12th Five Year Plan period in the state.

"The state government has fixed a target of skilling 9.1 lakh youth during the 12th Five Year Plan and we are moving forward in this direction. However, during the course, some redesigning or rearranging may be required to suit the job market to ensure higher placement avenues for youth," Omar Abdullah said while reviewing the state's skill development mission at a meeting in the state's winter capital Jammu on Friday.

The state government has been imparting training to youth so they get jobs in public and private sector firms in the country under a skill development mission.

The chief minister told officials that the success of the skill development mission can only be realised when placement of the youth and utilisation of their skills is ensured.

He said the state government, besides engaging private players through initiatives like "Udaan" and "Himayat", has simultaneously focused on enhancing existing training facilities.

"Our training programmes should be reflective of the requirements in the job market. Steps should be taken to devise an inbuilt mechanism in the course curriculum itself to ensure market-oriented skill training to the youth," he said.

Omar Abdhullah laid emphasis on soft skills, saying that besides educational and technical qualifications focus must be laid on communication too as chances of getting a job is higher with these skills.

He said young people should be trained to give presentations, engage in group discussion, write reports and attend interviews.

"Our tourism industry can immensely benefit if taxi operators, ponywallahs (people who take tourists around on ponies) and others associated with tourism are provided mandatory soft skill training to improve their interpersonal skills," he said.

A presentation at the meeting revealed that in 2012-13, against a target of 1.10 lakh youth, 88,440 youth received training in micro and small scale industry, vocational and technical education, agriculture, horticulture, information technology, animal and sheep husbandry, tourism and health.

Under the "Himayat" programme of the state government, young people are trained in skills necessary for employment. "Udaan" encourages graduate and post-graduate students from the state to seek employment in corporate houses.