AAUA calls for revival of State's economy from lockdown depression

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The All Assam Unemployed Association (AAUA) has once again expressed its concern over the unexpected economic depression in the State caused by the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the lockdown subsequently initiated in order to fight against the pandemic. In this regard, the organization appealed to the government to revive the State economy by ensuring engagement to over 65 lakh unemployed people of the State.

In a press release sent to the media, AAUA president-in charge Dharmendra Deori and general secretary Jiban Rajkhowa said that the prevailing pandemic situation and the lockdown had mainly affected the small scale, medium scale and other entrepreneurs along with the unemployed youths adversely.

"At present, the unemployed youths who became self-employed by taking up various works and those who worked in other States but had to return home due to the pandemic, have turned unemployed once again due to the lockdown. According to government source, there are more than 19 lakh registered unemployed youths in the State while the unregistered figure of the same is more than this. Including the persons coming back to the State from other States, the figure of unemployed people with potential will be approximately 65 lakh. Under such circumstances, the State Government should initiate steps to revive the domestic economy by adopting short-term economic policies to ensure comprehensive engagement of this large number of unemployed people," the press release stated.

Through the same press release, the organization demanded the State Government to identify and involve the farmers, eri and muga rearers, animal rearers, fishery entrepreneurs and weavers of the State with the ongoing flagship schemes adopted by the departments concerned so that they could avail the benefits from them in the real sense and contribute to the revival of the State economy. In this regard, AAUA asked the State Government to grant loan of Rs. 50,000 free of interest to each of these entrepreneurs to engage them in productive works. On the other hand, the same press release further stated that a section of mediators had been exploiting the benefits from MGNREGA schemes by using tractors, excavators and dumpers instead of the genuine job card holders.

"We demand the State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister to take stringent action against them and to provide the working opportunities to the genuine job card holders," said the AAUA president-in charge and the general secretary in the press release. 

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