Skip to content Skip to navigation

Unemloyment in Assam and ULFA

Unemployment is a burning problem in the country and Assam is no exception. The ever growing population has made it extremely difficult for the government to provide jobs for every educated youth. Educated unemployed are rapidly flooding the state. Government jobs have become a pipe dream. Here arises the need of introducing vocational training courses in our syllabi from an early stage in schools itself which will help the youth to be self sufficient rather than awaiting for that coveted dream job.

Unlike other states the Northeast and Assam in particular has been deprived of private companies and Multi national Companies who shy away from investing in the region due to extremism. For the proscribed ULFA’s questionable activities have left no room for private investments by any companies in the state. Extortion, kidnappings, bomb blasts are not exactly conducive for industrialization or any progressive work. The perfunctory tug of war between the government and the ULFA has in turn victimized the local youth and deprived them of a secure future. If such a trend continues for long then those few companies that have braved the hostile conditions will ultimately be forced to relocate and further aggravate the unemployment problem.

Albeit population explosion is another major factor for unemployment but terrorism is a direct cause for this growing problem and vice versa. For lack of jobs push the youth to join extremist groups to earn a fast buck which in turn act as deterrent to employment avenues.

There are over 15 lakh unemployed in the state. According to the state’s latest economic survey report the number of unemployed per 1,000 people in Assam is 21 in the rural areas against 5 persons at the All India level. Similarly the number of unemployed per 1,000 people in urban areas in the state is 20 against 14 people at an all India level. The government is not sitting idle but has given serious thought to curb this problem which is also the prime cause of insurgency. The government is allegedly going to implement a Rs 11 crore job generation scheme aimed at minimizing the problem. The scheme is said to be formulated on the lines of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan.

We Indians play the blame game really well for whenever things go awry we conveniently blame the next person in this case government. Extremism is definitely a major deterrent but it is not the end of the world.

The social scenario in Assam is a volatile one at least it appears to be so to people in the heartland of our country. The media too is agog with reports of violence and mayhem giving the impression of a prevailing tension in the region as a result of which investments in the region are sparse and far between.

Therefore in such a catch 22 situation the youth can take up self employment avenues such as start small scale industries or take up sericulture, pisiculture, weaving etc. The options are many but there is a dearth of proper vision and attitude among our youth. The Banks are always there to fall back upon provided one is armed with a little patience and forbearance.

Sadly a small step forward proves to be futile when insurgent factors destabilize the development process and take us four steps backwards. The recent kidnapping and subsequent killing of FCI official PC Ram is a dastardly act that should be condemned by all. Such incidents push Assam further into the labyrinths of underdevelopment and the wheel of progress comes to a standstill.

Rituparna Goswami Pandey

Comments

mitu's picture

Good insight into the actual problem. When would Assam solve unemployment

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

In the year 2011-12, 71 maternal deaths were reported in Nagaon district. As per Annual Health Survey 2010-11, the MMR (maternal mortality ratio) is 367 per 1,00,000 live births as compared to 440 of the RRC-NE, 2009 survey. The reduction in maternal death in Nagaon is possible because of many initiatives of NRHM. Deployment of Skilled Birth Attendance trained GNM/ANM, EmoC trained Doctor, launching of 108 Services, Mamoni, JSSK and Adaroni Scheme are few of them. Particularly it is possible for increase in Antenatal care (ANC) of pregnant women. In the year 2010-11 ANC figures were only 45637 and gradually in the year 2011-12 it has gone up to 48454 .The Govt. of Assam has put extra...
At least eight people have been injured when a section All Bodo Students' Union activist clashed with a group of Non-Bodo Protection Forum workers during band calls on Thursday. The ABSU had blocked the NH 31 at different places of Lower Assam in support of their various demands while the Forum had called a 12-hour Assam bandh demanding non-inclusion of non-Bodos within the Bodoland Territorial Council. Activists of both groups clashed at Bhogpur area under Goreswar police station of Baksa district leading to the injuries of eight people with condition of one of the injured stated to be critical. More than five thousand ABSU activists had blocked NH-31 at Bhetakuchi area near Rangiya and...
Former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is all set to take over as new AGP president on Thursday.The decks for the two time former chief minister was cleared at crucial meeting of the outgoing central executive body meeting on Wednesday. Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling and Zoramthanga, the former chief minister of Mizoram are expected to attend the conference to be held in Guwahati on Thursday.
At least 20 persons have been injured and properties worth lakh of rupees have been ravaged when a ravaging storm lashed many parts of Assam on Wednesday midnight. The midnight storm uprooted thousands of trees, electric and telephone posts disrupting surface communication in many places. The worst-hit areas include Kokrajhar and Barpeta districts where it at least 20 people sustained injury when their houses collapsed under the impact of the storm. It would take several hours to clear the roads. The storm struck Guwahati also at on Wednesday midnight.
Normal life in Rabha Hasong dominated area areas of Assam remains crippled following a 12 hour bandh call which began at 5 in the morning on Thursday. All vehicles are off from the roads. Shops and markets, schools and colleges, banks and offices are remaining closed soon after the bandh started at 5 in the morning. The All Assam Rabha Council called for the bandh in protest against the government’s failure to rescue two teachers who were kidnapped by suspected GNLA insurgents along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Goalpara district of Assam.
A major explosion was averted at gas pipeline in Sivasagar district when security forces defused a powerful IED on Thursday. The IED weighing 3 kg was planted at a gas pipeline in between Aaideopukhuri and Aaideobari in Sonari which was spotted by the local residents in the morning. Senior police and army officials rushed to the spot and defused it. It is suspected to be a handiwork of ULFA’s anti-talk faction.
Both Delhi and Dispur have drawn High Court’s ire after DHD(J) leaders Niranjan Hojai and Juel procured bail in two nefarious case involving crores of rupees. The country’s deputy solicitor general appeared before the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday on behalf of the attorney general in response to a summon issued in connection with two notorious cases where two DHD(J) leaders procured bail. The court summoned attorney general to explain how top DHD(J) leaders Niranjan Hojai and Juel Garlosa procured bail from NIA where three others were denied bail. They were JK Ghose, G Daulagapu, Mausakimi and Achintya Warisa. Notably, they were charged of siphoning off a huge amount of...
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has welcomed the decision of Team Anna member Akhil Gogoi to form a political party.Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Wednesday, Gogoi said that Akhil's decision to form a political party is a welcome step. The KMSS general secretary announced that he would form a political party around 2015 or 2016.However, he had said that his party would not contest the next Assembly polls in 2016 and would only highlight issues like ill effects of big dams and for land rights to indigenous people.
Assam and Meghalaya are set to get Spices Parks to promote value addition and help farmers by reducing their dependence on middlemen. According to information, feasibility study for the park in Meghalaya is under the process of preparation by the IIM-Shillong for which the report is awaiting. The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry will provide funding for the proposed Spices' Park. The Spices park will act as a common centre where farmers bring in their produces in bulks. Assam on the other hand, produces Bhut Jhalokia and mustard besides ginger and turmeric and is considered the gate to the North East. The region has also exported 37,38,597 MT tonne of spices, mainly fresh ginger and...
The representation received from the joint forum of Assam Tea Planters Association, North Eastern Tea Association and Bharatiya Cha Parishad has appealed for declaring tea as a national drink as it is consumed by large sections of people and this would also contribute to its brand building exercise. This was what Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya M. Scindia disclosed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. He said that there is no fixed criteria for according national status to any particular product/commodity. A proposal to declare tea as the national drink of India was earlier examined during 2006 in consultation with the Central Ministries concerned and the States/UTs. He...