Even though Opposition members severely criticised the State Government saying the unemployment problem has become acute and youths are migrating to other States in search of works, the Government on Thursday claimed in the Assembly that it has undertaken a number of measures to make youths employable.
Initiating discussion on an Adjournment Motion, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra said youths are migrating to other States as the Government has failed to provide them jobs.
“Youths from many districts are going outside the State in search of works. Many of them are also being exploited. While many Government jobs are lying vacant, recruitments have not been conducted for years,” said Mishra.
BJP members Bishnu Charan Sethi, Mukesh Mahaling and Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia and Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati made similar allegations. However, BJD members Ashwini Patro, Dr Pramod Kumar Mallick and Satyanarayan Pradhan refuted the charges.
In his reply, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Premananda Nayak said, “The State Government has taken up a number of measures through various line departments to provide large-scale employment and self-employment opportunities to youths,. Efforts have been made to make youths employable nationwide, both in manufacturing and service sectors.”
The Minister said the number of Government ITIs with intake capacity of 3,656 has increased from 23 in 2000 to 49 with intake capacity of 17,699. Twenty-three Government ITIs are under different stages of construction.
The number of polytechnics has gone up from 13 with intake capacity of 3,015 to 35 with intake capacity of 8,775 during the period.
National level institutions like Central Tools Room and Training Centre (CTTC) and Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) have branches in the State.
The Government has collaborated with leading automobile manufacturers to make youths employable, he said.
Under the Chief Minister’s Employment Generation Programme, 10,38,301 youth have been trained during the year 2014-15 to 2018-19. Similarly, 85,680 youth have been imparted employable skills under the Placement Linked Training Programme.
The Minister said the Government has undertaken various activities to ensure safety and welfare of Odia migrant workers. To curb illegal recruitment of migrant workers, 28 prosecutions were filed against contractors during 2018-19.
To reduce distress migration, a pilot project in 20 GPs of Balangir and 10 GPs in Nuapada in collaboration with the Tata Trusts has been started. Convergence of services in coordination with Panchyati Raj and DW, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Water Resources, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, School and Mass Education and Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department has been undertaken to provide alternative livelihood. In 2018-19, 2741 contractors were issued licences to recruit 1,28,348 wormen, he said.
The Minister said awareness programmes at district level are being undertaken to reduce distress migration and ensure legal entitlements for migrant workers under the Inter-State Migrant Worken (RE and CS) Act, 1979.