Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is a far plunged mountainous area located in the Northern part of
the county with a covered area of 72,486 sq km. In GB, the adult literacy rate
is 36% and per capita income is 90% of the national per capita income of
$4,800/- According to UNDP, poverty in GB stands at 43%. Current population of
GB is more than 1.5 million people with more than 60% under the age of 30. With
no large-scale industries or major economic activities, the youth of GB often
look up to the government for employment. It is no wonder then that the public
sector of GB is the largest employer in the region with more than 1 lakh
employees – a huge burden on the exchequer. Hence expecting Govt. of GB to
create more jobs may not be realistic because of their sharp fiscal
constraints. Only 4% of the land in GB is cultivatable which is being used for
agricultural purposes. Similarly, due to the lack of large-scale industry, private
and NGO sectors are also unable to create enough job opportunities to absorb
all the youth. Hence, the issue of youth bulge is evident in the region.
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