A worrying reality: State has sufficient number of architects, engineers and technical diploma holders, but no construction workers
Chizokho Vero
Kohima | February 27
With attendance of more than 2000 delegates and 54 Naga youth achievers, a two day long Nagaland Youth Summit culminated here today on a constructive note by coming out with significant recommendations on governance, entrepreneurship and skills building, which will be submitted to the State Government.
The Summit, organized by YouthNet in association with Nagaland State Government, among the others resolved to declare the year 2016 as the “Year of Construction Workers” which was endorsed by Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang.
Deliberating on the often overlooked but pertinent issue of the profession of construction works in Nagaland, which is squarely dominated by ‘outsiders,’ Zeliang in his address viewed that even though the state has sufficient number of architects, engineers and technical diploma holders, there are no construction workers.
Terming it as a “vital gap in our human resource, or human capital,” Zeliang said this has brought the Nagaland state to a very odd situation.
“Even if the Centre or the state sanctions any important project, we, the Nagas cannot implement any project by ourselves without the assistance of outsiders as construction workers,” Zeliang pointed out. He maintained that since construction of buildings and roads are taking place all over the state, construction workers coming from outside have now spread themselves in all the nooks and corners of the state.
“This itself will pose a danger of changing the demographic profile of the state in the long run, example of which can be seen in some north eastern states,” he cautioned.
The chief minister further put his point across with a little explanation. “If we also consider that most of the construction materials, such as cement, iron & steel, roofing materials, bitumen etc are coming from outside the state, we will realize that out of Rs 3000 to 4000 crores of developmental expenditure being spent every year in the state, only a small fraction remains in the state as contractors margin of profit, taxes etc.”
He said this dependence on outside workers for construction needs to be pondered over seriously at the same time questioning if the Nagas are on the right track to prosperity.
With the construction industry being touted as one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy of this country, including the North East Region, Zeliang also revealed that the largest chunk of the government’s annual development expenditure are accounted for by construction works.
“It provides one of the biggest avenues for employment. The wages are also good, when we consider the relatively low level of skill required of the average construction workers,” he said.
Espousing confidence that Naga workers can do equally good and even better with better educational qualifications, the chief minister wanted Naga youths to discuss on how to bridge this vital gap in the human resource development. Zeliang also said the government would be willing to come out with special schemes or missions to be implemented in collaboration with NGOs, provided a good model can be worked out and submitted to the government.
Also touching on the contentious issue of Nagaland Special Development Zone (NSDZ), Zeliang said the State Government wants to constitute an Investment Board. He said if Naga youth are prepare to support this, the government will take up the matter to the Cabinet, bring it to the assembly and constitute an Investment Board so that any company who want to invest in Nagaland will be welcome to do so.
Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio called upon the Naga youths to have the right attitude and commitment to be achievers. “If we wait and sit for things to happen, it will never happen,” Rio said.
The Nagaland MP also appealed the State Government and leaders to support the young Nagas as they are “our hope and future.”
Former chief secretary Alemtemshi Jamir said the aspiration of Naga youth is better future, career and job while they are also concerned for over the existence of corruption in government system and society.
Nevertheless, Jamir said the growing negativism among Naga youths has become a major concern. “If we continue to think that Nagaland is bad and continue to criticize the system, we are not heading anywhere,” he maintained while calling for positive thinking among the youth to usher in changes in the society.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF NAGALAND YOUTH SUMMIT On Good Governance
• Enable public participation at all levels especially youths at pre-policy stage of consultation and implementation process
• Make use of all forms of media for engaging citizens’ participation
On Entrepreneurship
• To set up an entrepreneurship cell to provide entrepreneurship skills and work with banks in order to provide 100 units financing under Credit Guaranteed Small & Medium Enterprises up to an amount of Rs 1 crore and 1000 units financing under Mudra-Tarun up to 10 lakhs annually
On Skills Building
• To declare the year 2016 as the Year of Construction Workers
• To give opportunity to skilled candidates from local training institutes
• To set up BPOs in Nagaland
• To start soft skills classes from the school level
