Four-pronged strategy to address unemployment issue: Himanta

Guwahati, Aug 27 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said his government is pursuing a four-pronged strategy to address the problem of unemployment, including government appointment in a transparent manner, skill development and attracting more industries to the state.

He also urged the banned ULFA(I) to ensure peace in Assam so that corporates are not dissuaded from investing in the northeastern state.

Focus on the agriculture sector is also part of the strategy, he said.

Sarma was responding to resolutions on increasing employment opportunities and reservations for indigenous people in jobs moved by AGP legislator Ramendra Narayan Kalita, independent MLA Akhil Gogoi and Congress’ Abdul Batin Khandakar.

The chief minister maintained that the unemployment rate has been on a declining trend in the last three years under his government.

Elaborating on the four-pronged strategy, Sarma said as a first step, government appointments are being conducted in a transparent manner.

He said nearly one lakh government jobs have been provided in the last three years, “without a single court case claiming any corruption” in the process.

“Our target is to provide another 30,000-50,000 jobs by May next year. And then, we will try to start the recruitment process for another 20,000-25,000 jobs before the 2026 assembly polls,” Sarma said.

To ensure that local youths get preference in government jobs, it is working on a “domicile policy” with reservations of 90 per cent of jobs for locals, he said.

“All these taken together will be about two lakh jobs provided by our government,” Sarma said.

Skill development and training of youths to make them future-ready is another aspect the state government is focusing on, he said.

“We don’t have a lot of resources, but we have human resource. We can become the skilled worker supplier of the country and beyond with proper training of the youths,” he said.

Attracting investors to set up industries is another way of increasing employment opportunities, Sarma said.

He referred to the Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor plant of the Tata Group that will be coming up in Jagiroad as a pioneer in attracting more investors to the state.

The government has plans to develop areas like Jagiroad, Palasbari and Namrup as industrial hubs.

The agriculture sector also has immense potential in generating employment, the CM said.

Referring to the ULFA(I) allegedly planting bombs on Independence Day at different locations, he said, “I want to tell Paresh Barua (outfit’s chief) that your fight is with Delhi, not with youths of the state.” “We shouldn’t hamper industrialisation of the state,” the CM added. PTI SSG RBT