Asom to use EGM as employment catalyst

Guwahati, Aug 3: Asom government has embarked on an ambitious project to generate employment using various government agencies and NGOs.

The project titled 'Employment Generation Mission' (EGM) has been drafted under the guidance of Economic and Financial Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr Jayanta Madhab.

With 17 per cent of the state's population jobless, the state is pinning its hope on the plan to handle unemployment problem.

The EGM is not a full-fledged government project, but the state will be responsible for giving financial support to various selected organisations (including NGOs) such as SIRD, APDC, AMTRON, RGVN, ASOMI, PRASESTA and BIKALANGA who will in turn implement the project, said Dr Madhab.

According to Dr Madhab, the primary objective of this project is to empower the people and help them become self-employed in a phased manner. EGM covers sectors like agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, sericulture, handloom and handicraft and tourism which are high employment generators, he added.

In the agriculture sector, EGM concentrates on cultivation of high valued crops, spices, medicinal plants and herbs, besides dairy farming, piggery, poultry and ornamental fisheries.

In the handloom and handicrafts sector, various schemes like 'Design Intervention' are initiated to train people to know the market demand. In order to extend its market, EGM has joined hands with EPCH (Export Promotion Council of Handicrafts). This would help them organise exhibitions in Europe, Latin America and the USA, besides different parts of Asia.

The organisations related with the project have been given the responsibility to select the unemployed according to their potential, motivate and train them and help them in getting 25 per cent financial subsidies.

Dr Jayanta Madhab viewed that in order to make this mission successful, recognised organisations having good working relations with banks and the capacity to reach the heterogeneous people should come forward and join hands.

UNI