STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: It seems that the Assam Government has no effective strategy, as of now, to tackle the problem of joblessness that is staring at the State in the wake of COVID-19. The State has around 20 lakh registered unemployed persons, and the number is set to go up as many SSIs (Small Scale Industries) and MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in the State are compelled to downsize their work forces after the lockdown. The situation of joblessness will worsen further when thousands of people of the State working in other States in the country will arrive in Assam in the wake of corona scare.
In fact, joblessness in Assam has been an ever-worsening problem for quite a few years. The number of SSI units in the State has been on the decline for the past four to five years. The State Commerce and Industries Department, which has been vocal in creating an atmosphere conducive for industrial growth in the State, is doing precious little to arrest this menace.
A reality check shows that in fiscal 2014-15, the State had around 2,629 SSI and MSME units providing employment opportunities to around 21,000 people. However, in fiscal 2018-19, the number of SSI and MSME units fell to 1,123, giving employment opportunities to just 9,000 persons. Sources say that in a State like Assam where big industries are scarce, the SSI and MSME units should be the real job-generating establishments. However, this important sector has not been receiving the required focus from the Industries department.
The enormity of this problem is that under the 'Assam Shops and Establishment Act-1971', the State has around one lakh shops and establishments. Around 80 per cent of them are shops that have given employment to approximately 70,000 people. According to official records, around 15,000 commercial establishments in the State have absorbed a workforce of around 50,000 persons and around 6,000 cinema halls, hotels, restaurants etc., have engaged around 20,000 more persons. However during the past one-and-a-half-month lockdown, all these establishments remained closed. Compelled by the situation, most of such establishments are thinking of downsizing their workforces. Certainly, this is going to add to the already aggravated unemployment situation in the State.
Another trend that will lead the State nowhere is that most of the workforce engaged in the Agriculture sector has been shifting to non-agricultural activities. In the 20 years from 1991-2011, the number of agricultural workers in the State declined by around four lakh. However during the same period, the number of industrial workers of the State went up by two lakh. The rate at which shifting of workforce from the Agricultural sector to non-agricultural sectors is taking place, it is not a good sign for the economy of the State.
Yet another unwelcoming situation is that around 80 per cent of the 20 lakh registered unemployed in the State are general HSLC passed to graduates, not skilled workers. The real challenge for the authorities concerned is to engage such a huge unskilled work force, especially against the backdrop of the State government not having any tangible strategy to meet the situation.
Skill development is yet another area where the government has not done anything worthwhile. Till last year, the State had around 24,000 ITI-passed and unemployed engineers.
The State government has a few schemes for generating jobs but that mostly create some self-help groups, dole out lump sum amounts for the setting up of industries, etc. Such schemes are not strong enough to solve the problem of unemployment. If the State Industries and Commerce Department cannot take active and fruitful measures, who can bail out the State?
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