'Union and State governments have failed to tackle unemployment problem'

LAKHIMPUR, March 31: “The Union and State governments have failed to tackle the growing unemployment problem. The lackadaisical attitude of the government machinery towards the mitigation of the burning problem has depressed the unemployed youths of the State,” alleged Basav Kalita, the president of the All Assam Karmachari Parishad on Friday.

He made this statement while participating as appointed speaker in the open session of the four-day long State-level Youth Convention held at Tyag Kshetra of Lakhimpur under the aegis of All Assam Unemployed Association (AAUA). In the programme, Kalita said that no effective initiative was taken by the Union Government to engage the unemployed. “On the contrary, it has introduced some parallel projects or schemes against a few existing departments and engaged contractual employees to implement these projects. There is no future for these employees,” he stated.

He strongly opposed the controversial policy of engaging Grade IV employees in the government departments through the so-called ‘out sourcing’ process. “Through this process the government will invite tenders from the contractors to supply Grade IV employees. Then the qualified contractors will supply them after getting the contract. The process, which is the modern form of the feudal system of mediaeval period, will certainly deteriorate the dignity of human resource,” he stated. He added that the opportunity and possibility of employment through the Digital India, Advantage Assam and skill development schemes could not satisfy the unemployed youths of the State in spite of their talent. “Only 40 per cent of engineers in the State got jobs, the rest 60 per cent had to apply for posts inferior to their qualification,” he said.

Nilamoni Hazarika, the president of AAUA, demanded the Union Government to declare the unemployment problem a tiol problem and NITI Ayog to adopt separate policies for Assam to minimize the problem. He demanded the Chief Minister to introduce Human Resource Development department in the State to work make effective policies for the favour of the unemployed. He warned the government that eradication of unemployment problem was not mere an election-related promise or slogan.

Iugurating the event, former Principal of Lakhimpur PG College, Rekha Phukan blamed the present education system for the growing unemployment problem. She prioritized the implementation of Gandhi’s philosophy in the education system for generating work culture and the involvement of the unemployed in the proper utilization of the unused tural resource of the State.

DDC of Lakhimpur, Debashish Baishya, Principal of Lakhimpur PG College, Rukma Gohain Baruah, singer artiste JP Das, Ranjit Borthakur and Shyamanta Das from Karmachari Parishad delivered lectures as guests of honour, emphasizing development of skills of the unemployed youths of the State.

Four jourlists of Lakhimpur, Dutta Dev Goswami Jourlism Award winner Priyam Jyoti Phukan, Sangbad Shiromoni Award winner Bubul Hazarika, Media Fellowship achiever Farha Ahmed and Ranjit Kakati, who represented the Northeast in a tiol semir-cum-workshop of jourlists held at Lavasa, organized by the Centre for Civil Society Academy of New Delhi, were given warm felicitation in the programme.