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

Normal life in Guwahati was thrown out of gear as it was lashed by heavy rainfall. Several vital points in the city are under waist deep water bringing traffic to a standstill and stranding commuters. The worst affected areas are RGB Road, GS Road and Zoo Road which have been completely submerged.
Assam is in the fresh grip of flood wave triggered by heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of river Brahmaputra. Rain waters have wreaked havoc in seven districts. According to information, rainfall in the catchment areas of the Brahmaputra, has resulted in alarming rise in water level. There was, however, no report of any loss of lives so far.Huge areas of human habitation and cropland in Baksa, Barpeta, Kamrup, Nalbari, Dhemaji, Sonitpur and Sibsagar districts have been submerged and nearly 150 villages with a population of nearly two lakh were affected. The government has opened 15 relief camps in Baksar, Goalpara, Kamrup and Nalbari districts which are housing more than 50,000 people...
BJP is preparing to put the UPA government in a fix over the strings of ethnic clash in BTAD areas when parliament will resume its session on Wednesday. The party’s executive committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss the strategy. Disclosing this BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that BJP will be raising issues of general public concern such as the communal violence in Assam. He said the party has decided to raise Assam clashes on the very first day of the session, contending the violence has not stopped as yet.Same it was what Sushma Swaraj said before the reporters in Delhi.
The Centre on Monday blamed external elements in the ethnic clashes in BTAD areas and Dhubri areas where almost 60 were killed. Dispur is also likely to hand over the probe into the recent violence to CBI. Talking to reporters in New Delhi Union home secretary RK Singh said that the situation is under control as of now. There could be some external elements behind the violence. Singh had ruled out the possibility of involvement of anyone from across the border saying it was simply impossible for any organised group crossing over to India from across the border as the international border was sealed. He said that state and the Centre are determined that we will have this investigated and...
Refuges in Chirang alleged inadequate medical facilities in the camps. The medical teams find it quite difficult to move to the camps in the absence of security forces. CRPF jawans sprang upon a team of health workers in Bijni. On the other hand, so far 8 refugees died of various diseases. Indefinite curfew was reimposed in Chirang district where three bodies were recovered on Sunday. Night curfew was continuing in Kokrajhar, where two bodies were recovered, besides Baska and Dhubri districts.
Tension still grips BTAD areas. Dispur has set up 104 police pickets in Dhubri and BTAD areas. Security personnel start manning these violence-hit areas from Monday.A SSB team had a narrow escape on Sunday when unidentified miscreants opened indiscriminate firing in Amguri area in Bijni. On Monday miscreants set on fire a house in the area. Security forces have apprehended a former militant in this connection.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday reviewed the relief measures in BTAD areas and Dhubri district where 60people were killed. Gogoi directed the senior officials to carry out relief and rehabilitation measures on a war footing. He said that the topmost priority was relief and rehabilitation measures and all our energies should be channelized towards it. He asked the additional Chief Secretary to instruct the Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts to decongest the camps immediately and to open up new camps so that there is no major outbreak of diseases. Gogoi further instructed the PHE Secretary to construct latrines and to install water pumps in and around the relief camps in a...
Two hardcore Ulfa militants were shot dead during an encounter with police in Goalpara district on Sunday. The encounter took place at 8-30 in the evening at an inaccessible area in Rongjuli. Acting on a tip off, a team of police from Guwahati launched an operation where the heavy gunbattle took place. The Ulfa duo died on the spot. Identified as Ratul Asom and Raghu Asom, the duo was allegedly involved in the recent attack on army in Goalpara where a jawan died and 4 others have been injured. Identified as Ratul Asom and Raghu Asom, the duo was allegedly involved in the recent attack on army in Goalpara where a jawan died.
The Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) has welcome the gesture of Satyam Foundation to offer Rs 51,000 as financial assistance for the treatment of Lalit Sarma, a Guwahati based television reporter. The EMFA also thanks Bhaskar Dev Konwar, a city based advocate, for offering Rs 11,000 for his treatment. Sarma, a crime reporter of DY365 is suffering from the ailment of partial paralysis for some weeks and he needs urgent treatment outside Assam. He is planning to visit Kerala for undergoing treatment with traditional medicine there. Mentionable is that Satyam Foundation, a Guwahati based welfare institution comprising some prominent cultural personalities of Assam, had honoured over 20...
Three persons have been injured when a powerful bomb exploded in Goreswar on Sunday. It took place at around 4-30 and bomb was planted on a tree which exploded at a village beside the Rangia-Goreswar Road. The bomb exploded with a huge sound when one of the trio tried to switch on a radio after he came to see it on a tree. The injured have been rushed to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital after preliminary treatment at the Goreswar Hospital.