GUWAHATI, Feb 8 - There are 15,23,531 educated unemployed in Assam, Minister of Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Development Chandra Mohan Patowary informed the Assembly today, outlining the initiatives taken for skill development of the youths.
Replying to a question by MLA Chakradhar Gogoi, Patowary said during the year 2016-17, the employment exchanges at Guwahati and Jorhat will be upgraded to model career centres through which facilities like online registration with National Career Service and career-related information will be available.
The government plans to give skill development training to 1.5 lakh unemployed youths in the year 2017-18 so that they can either engage in self-employment activities or get absorbed in various avenues, the minister said, adding that the Employment Generation Mission will be merged with the Assam Skill Development Mission.
Replying to a supplementary by Siddhartha Bhattacharya, the minister said the industries which are coming to the state are being asked about their skill requirements.
�We are exploring such options to ensure that the trained unemployed youths are absorbed in these industries which are venturing into the State,� Patwary said.
To another supplementary by Opposition leader Debabrata Saikia who alleged that companies like ONGC were dodging local employment exchanges while recruiting people, the minister said he will take up the matter with the PSUs.
�We had told them earlier also to engage local youths. The government will also introduce new trades in the ITIs so that youths can be trained in the hydrocarbon sector,� he said.
Besides, driving schools will be opened in each district, he added.
Later, replying to a call attention motion at the Legislative Assembly today, Patowary said, �Skill development is the core (to solving the unemployment problem)... There are not many vacancies in the State or Central Government departments and PSUs and so opportunities for employment generation will have to be created.�
Patowary added that the State Government has already written to the Centre to recruit local youths for all grade III and IV vacancies in central departments in Assam.
