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

At least 30 passengers had a narrow escape when in a country-made boat carrying them capsized in Aie river of Chirang district on Friday. The incident took place at around 2.30 in the afternoon at Ranisundari ghat when the boat was on its way from the west to the eastern bank of the river, which is a major tributary of the Manas river. According to police, all the passengers swam safely to the shore.
The Gauhati High Court on Thursday rejected journalist Gauravjyoti Neog’s plea he moved to procure anticipatory bail in connection with the molestation case in the city. A division bench of the court of rejected the petition but directed the police to file the case diary by the next week. Neog, a reporter with Newslive is allegedly involved in the entire incident and Bhangagarh police grilled him for five hours on Sunday to extract the truth.
Properties worth one crore have been reduced to ashes when a market caught fire in Moran on Thursday. The incident took place in the wee hours when the fire broke out at a shop because of electric short circuit. Immediately, the fire was spreading to the nearby shops. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot but by then the fire engulfed the entire daily market. Local residents blamed delay in the arrival of the fire tenders which was why, the fire spanned out of control.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday claimed victory for Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential polls. Talking to reporters after casting his vote at the Central Hall of the Assam Assembly in the morning, Gogoi said that the Mukherjee, a veteran political leader deserves the coveted post. Gogoi said that Mukherjee is expected to get the support of more than 111 legislators in the state. He hoped that other opposition parties would also vote for the former finance minister.
Ananda Prakash Tiwary took over as senior superintendent of police replacing Apurba Jiban Baruah who was shunted following the police failure in the recent molestation case.The new senior police superintendent is understood to have taken stock of the law and order situation in the city rocked by a string of uneasy incidents of killings, kidnapping and the molestation incident.
Presidential poll begins in Assam with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi casting his vote on Thursday. Gogoi, is among the 126 members of the legislative assembly along with member of parliament Bhubneswar Kalita who are expected to cast the vote at the Central Hall of the Assam Assembly. As soon as the question hour ended at 10 in the morning, the legislators are lined up to cast their votes. Pranab Mukherjee is expected to get support from 112 legislators. Altogether 15 legislators are expected to go with PA Sangma. Parliamentary affairs minister Nilomoni Sendeka represents Pranab Mukherjee while PA Sangma is represented by AGP MLA Bhupen Ray. The ballot boxes are scheduled to be sealed...
General Officer Commanding-in- Chief of Eastern Command, Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh called on Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik on Wednesday and apprised him of the flood relief and rescue operation in the state. Accompanied by Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung, General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, he interacted with the troops and reviewed the progress of ongoing projects and the current internal security situation in Assam as well as on the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh.
The chairperson of the National Commission for Women Mamata Sharma on Wednesday suggested a slew of measures to ensure safety and security of women in the state. During his hurricane visit to Guwahati on Wednesday, Sarma asked Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to provide government job for the molestation victim apart from proper counseling and rehabilitation. Talking to reporters, she said that the Commission asked for better police surveillance with presence of women personnel in the entire state. She said that the Chief Minister has accepted her recommendation. She criticized the role of police in the entire incident saying that police needed 45 minutes to arrived in the spot.The NCW has...
Four persons were killed an ugly string of group clash in Barak Valley on Wednesday. Twenty others have been 20 injured in the clash. According to police, the clash took place over a five year long land dispute. The two groups used sharp weapons during the clash at Matijuri area of Hailakandi district. The deceased were identified as Mizanur Rahman Chaudhary, Nazimuddin Chaudhary, Nazrul Haq Barbhuiyan and Aziruddin Barbhuiyan.
Normal life in Sivasagar district remained paralyzed during the 12-hour bandh called on Wednesday demanding stern action against Army personnel involved in the molestation case in Demow. The bandh was total. Shops and business establishments remained closed in the entire district. Vehicular traffic off from the roads. No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the district. The bandh was called jointly by Mising Students' Union, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad, All Tai Ahom Students' Union and some other outfits demanding immediate action against Army personnel responsible for the alleged molestation of a girl at Demow in Sibsagar district on July 13.