Core focus to eridicate unemployment: Mizo CM

Aizawl, Nov 8: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has outlined his government's next "core focus" to tackle unemployment problem in the state.

In an interview with sources here, the Chief minister said ''we have already chalked out various packages for the unemployed youth across the state. We are currently engaged in giving a comprehensive training in the communication sector, for all the unemployed youth, where they could secure good job inside and outside the state''.

"Our main asset is the vast fertile land across the state and we are taking measures to exploit as far as possible to encourage young entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector'', Mr Zoramthanga said.

"In Mizoram, with its human development Index at seven, it is possible to increase income of the state by encouraging the unemployed youth, if we exploit the agro-food processing area by value addition and also the large scale cultivation of bamboo and subsequent handicrafts products.". " My government will also be increasing the revenue generation by earning capacity of the youth through creating market avenues, by improving border trade with the neighbouring countries such as Myanmar and Bangladesh in addition to meet the local requirement", he said.

North Eastern Council (NEC) has also sanctioned over Rs 400 lakh for setting up of IT professional training project for educated unemployed youths in Mizoram, he said adding the objective of this programme was to establish state-of-the-art IT professional training centre for more than 500 local youths with special emphasis in the field of networking and other various core subjects in the IT field.

He claimed the state has a great prospect for Agro-forest based economy, which however, due to inadequate infrastructural facilities the private entrepreneurs were not attracted to the state.

''We would be narrowing the gap by allocating more funds to create infrastructure facilities in the region to encourage outsiders to setup various industries, which would benefit thousands of unemployed local youths'', he said.

Youth should understand the fact the government alone can not provide employment to all, it was essential to create opportunties for emerging educated youth for employment or self-employment in private sector, he pointed out. He said with the help of several NGOs, the state would launch awareness campaign to motivate the young generation to ugrade their technical cabability in IT, servies, tourism, marketing and other relevant sectors.

According to the official statistics, the academic institutions in Mizoram generate about 1000 graduates and the higher secondary passout around 10,000 per year.

UNI