Assam banks on growth for jobs

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110223/jsp/northeast/story_13619253.jsp

Assam banks on growth for jobs


ROOPAK GOSWAMI

Guwahati, Feb. 22: Assam is banking on a robust economic growth rate to generate enough jobs to bring down its staggering unemployment figures.

The state’s first employment policy, prepared by the department of labour and employment, has put forward three hypothetical economic growth situations in Assam to present the corresponding job scenario.

In the first growth assumption, with a GDP of 5.5 per cent, the labour department expects a 1.8 per cent increase in labour requirement annually, thereby bringing down the unemployment percentage to 21 per cent and 17 per cent between 2010 and 2015.

In case of a moderately high growth of about 8 per cent, unemployment will be 8 per cent and 11 per cent in 2015 and 2020 respectively.

“A high growth of 10 per cent would reduce the unemployment rate at about 2 per cent by 2020,” the policy states.

More and more women are expected to join the workforce, indicating a growth of labour force at the rate of 1.8 per cent.

The policy also predicts good growth rate in trade and hospitality sectors.

It suggests implementing special programmes to create additional employment for vulnerable groups that may not be sufficiently benefited by general growth promoting policies.

The composition of jobless in Assam is heavily tilted towards the unorganised sector employment.

Nearly 89 per cent of employment also comes from this sector.

According to the employment exchange, the number of job-seekers in 2007 was 1,299,366, which increased to 1,351,511 in 2008.

Most of the job seekers — about 80 per cent — in employment exchanges are without any professional skills.

The policy has suggests that employment policies should undergo a review after every five years to address the skill-building need of a workforce emerging from the agricultural sector.

There also needs to be attempts to develop relevant skills to suit emerging opportunities in employment.

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