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

Condemning the Mumbai violence over BTAD riot, VHP on Saturday said those who took part in it should be arrested and penalised for damage caused to life and property. VHP leader Pravin Togadia said those who took part in the violence and arson as well as those who instigated the same should be arrested. He further said that the damage caused to public property should be recovered from the rioters.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered judicial probe into the BTAD riot to unearth the reasons behind it.Addressing a press conference, Gogoi said that CBI has taken up seven cases out of 309 cases registered in the ethnic violence. He said the judicial probe would ascertain the lapses when it will deal with the matter widely.
The Centre on Saturday said the situation in BTAD areas was under control. In a statement, home ministry made it clear that altogether 170 people were arrested after registration of 309 cases in the state. It said that by and large normalcy has restored in Kokrajhar and other violence-affected districts after regular patrolling by Army troops and deployment of 6,500 paramilitary and state police personnel. Home Ministry said more than 309 cases have been registered and 170 people found involved in the violence were arrested while CBI has taken over the probe into seven cases where conspiracy is suspected.
Many people including policemen and journalists have been injured when several Muslim organisations in Mumbai's staged protest against the recent riots in Assam which turned violent on Saturday. The violent protesters set on fire several vehicles, including an OB van of news channels. Police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the violent crowd. The protests, led by Raza Academy, an organisation working to promote Islamic culture, were supported by other organisations like Sunni Jamaitul Ulma and Jamate Raza-e-Mustafa. Sporting black badges, hundreds of members and activists of these organisations, converged at the Azad Maidan and expressed concern over the massacre of the Muslim...
Assam Police are fully prepared to counter the ULFA threat in the run up to the Independence Day. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, Director General Police Jayanta Narayan Chaudhury revealed that Ulfa's anti-talk faction plans massive strike in the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations. He said Ulfa wants to make its presence felt carrying out blasts and small killings before August 15. He said that the outfit tries to instill fear and create an atmosphere where they can carry out their extortion attempts. According to the DGP, among the major targets of Ulfa are Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon and Jorhat districts.
The Supreme Court on Saturday gives clean-chit to Congress minister and former Assam education minister Ripun Bora in a bribery case where he was arrested by CBI three four years ago. Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Saturday, Bora took on one of his former cabinet colleagues for hatching conspiracy to finish his political career. Bora said that he would formally lodge complaint with Congress president Sonia Gandhi against two state political leaders exposing the real conspiracy. Notably, CBI arrested charging him with trying to bribe them to get rid of a sensational Denial Topno murder case.
ULFA’s anti talk faction has called Assam bandh on August 15. In a statement on Saturday, the outfit has asked the people to refrain from participating in the Independence Day celebrations. In yet another joint statement, seven militant outfits of the north east called for the boycott of the celebrations and general strike in the region on the day. The outfits include National Democratic Front of Bodoland, Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, Coordination Committee Manipur, Tripura Peoples Democratic Front, National Liberation Front of Tripura and Hynnewtrep.
Altogether 35 militants laid down their arms before Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at a function in Tezpur on Saturday.Twenty seven of them were from the Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT), six belonged to the National Democratic Front of Bodoland and two from ULFA. They further handed over a large number of arms and ammunition on Saturday. Among those who laid down arms were KLPT's self-styled Foreign Secretary Moniram Rongpi and self-styled Defence Secretary Ramling Ranghang. Besides Gogoi, Assam Planning Minister Tanka Bahadur Rai, state assembly Deputy Speaker Bhimananda Tanti and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army's Four Corp, Lt Gen Shakti Gurung were also present on the...
Altogether 35 militants laid down their arms before Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at a function in Tezpur on Saturday.Twenty seven of them were from the Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT), six belonged to the National Democratic Front of Bodoland and two from ULFA. They further handed over a large number of arms and ammunition on Saturday. Among those who laid down arms were KLPT's self-styled Foreign Secretary Moniram Rongpi and self-styled Defence Secretary Ramling Ranghang. Besides Gogoi, Assam Planning Minister Tanka Bahadur Rai, state assembly Deputy Speaker Bhimananda Tanti and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army's Four Corp, Lt Gen Shakti Gurung were also present on the...
Distance Education Programme - Sarva Sisha Abhiyan (DEP-SSA) plans to organize a two-day Orientation Workshop for the North-Eastern States during August 23-24. This workshop will be organized at the Institute of Distance and Open Learning, Gauwahti University. Distance Education Coordinators from the states, Directors of SCERTs, Principals and faculty of the DIETs of the North-East states are invited to attend the orientation workshop. Those academics interested may write to the undersigned for invitation. Prof. C.B. SharmaMobile : 9540464978, 011-29531457, 29571709E-mail: depssa@ignou.ac.in, khageshkumar@ignou.ac.in