Assam Government to create indigenous workforce

 Major construction companies to impart training

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government has noted with concern that there is an increasing dearth of indigenous youth in the state who are skilled in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work etc., and has consequently decided to tie up with certain major construction companies of the country to impart skill training to this category of youth.

Official sources said that the State Government has also decided to impart training to indigenous youth in traditional trades of Assam, such as bell-metal work of Sarthebari, fireworks manufacture of Barpeta etc.

Further, it has also been decided to impart training in driving of commercial vehicles, especially to the tea tribes' youth of Upper Assam.

The sources that although skill development training was being imparted by various NGOs and organizations over the past few years, the results have been found to be unsatisfactory by the government.

It is against this backdrop that the Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Department has decided to recast the skill development programme for the socio-economic benefit of the state.

The sources informed that several crores of rupees are generated by way of labour payment in the construction sector across the state each year. However, due to lack of skilled workers among indigenous youth, the major chunk of the labour wages is pocketed by members of a particular community.

The sources said that the Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Department is going to sign an MoU with Larsen & Toubro for imparting of skill development training to indigenous youth in the state. In accordance with the MoU, Larsen & Toubro will also engage the youth once the training is completed.

Discussions are also underway for a similar agreement with the Nagarjun and Ahluwalia group of companies, the sources added.

Regarding training to indigenous youth in traditional trades of Assam, the sources explained the plan by citing the example of the bell-metal industry in Sarthebari. They said the youths of area will be first trained in the work and then the Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Department will link them up with MUDRA banks so that they could obtain loans and start their own manufacturing units.

Moreover, it has been also decided that in view of a sizeable number of students who drop out of school in the Class-9 to Class-12 phase, teams will be sent to various schools and motivate the students about the importance of obtaining training in skill development, so that if the need arises in future, they will have a sure-fire profession to fall back on.

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