Food for Thought

Assam has all along been a greener pasture for the people of the neighbouring countries like Bangaladesh, Nepal, Myanmar etc. The natural resources like arable lands for growing food grains, fertile sars and saporis for growing vegetables, pastures for rearing cattle etc have always been tempting for the people of the neighbouring countries. The outcome of such bountiful natural resources is illegal infiltration, mostly from Bangladesh, into the state. After entering Assam every infiltrator might have felt that he/she is off to a greener pasture. They are green fingered too. They grab the bountiful natural resources here with both hands and mint money. The irony, however, is that joblessness is taking its toll on a large section of indigenous people here. What’s wrong with these indigenous people of Assam? A large number of them are educated, but their education is not enough to get a government job in the current cut-throat competition. They don’t want to take agriculture as their profession, even those who have arable land. They also shy away from skilled manual works like masonry, carpentry, tailoring, hair dressing etc that can make one earn more than what a third grade government employee earns. Most of the semi-literate or illiterate lot, on the other hand, are also not ready to hone their skill. They’re contented to work as daily-wage earners by working as helpers under masons or carpenters who are mostly people of suspected nationality. But then, a number of indigenous youths of the State go to metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru etc and do various sort of works, including manual works. They are, however, not ready to do such manual works in their home state.

The successive governments at Dispur have also done precious little to improve the situation. The government can neither prevent the natural resources like forest wealth, wildlife, forest lands, Professional Grazing Reserves (PGRs), Village Grazing Reserves (VRGs) etc from over and ruthless exploitation mostly by people of suspected nationality, nor can it ensure facilities including bank loans and training for the indigenous populace for their self-employment.

Yes, Assam is a greener pasture but only for the hard-working lot, not for the indigenous ones who shy away from hard work.

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