Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 10
Inspired by huge employment avenues and armed with basic knowledge and skills for the construction industry, 24 Naga youths are ready to get into the line. This comes in the backdrop of the four-months training programme on “capacity building and skill upgradation in construction sector” organized by the Urban Development department as part of the year of capacity-building.
A model RCC building, constructed by the trainees during the training programme evoked wide appreciation from many. The model is to be used as departmental staff quarters. Handing over certificates to 24 Naga youths on their successful completion of the training, minister for Urban Development Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu said a time has come for Naga youths to involve in the construction sector with seriousness for gainful employment. He was optimistic that some of the trainees would become managers and supervisors of big projects and encourage others to join similar line.
Dr. Liezietsu said the training programme is designed to impart knowledge and skills to local unemployed youth in order to enable them find job opportunities in the construction industry which is one of the main employment generating sectors in the state, after agriculture.
Stating that a lot of developmental works are going on in the state, both government and in the private sector, the minister said that in the construction sector, approximately Rs. 400 crore is spend annually, mostly earned by non-local workers. The money goes out of the state, he said. The heaviest expenditure is on construction and the education sector, the minister said. In the education sector, Dr. Shurhozelie said, parents have been spending crores every year for their children’s education outside the state. He termed this trend as a ‘very serious matter’ from the economic point of view.
In Kohima town alone, there are more than 1500 shops run by non-locals, he said and that if the local youth can take up these businesses, there will be no talk about “unemployment” problems.
Also pointing out that Naga people mostly go for RCC buildings, he told the gathering that for a far-flung area like Pungro, one has to spend Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 per trip for sand. In this regard, he stressed on the need to identify some other means of construction by using timber in the far-flung areas of the state, which would involve lesser expenditure.
He expressed the wish that architects and the Urban Development department will examine whether using timber for construction would be of help especially in the far- flung areas.
Also speaking at the occasion Norman Putsure, Secretary to Urban Development appealed to the contractors and various departments to emphasize on local youths and use their services in various constructions. He said the training programme was conceptualized as a vigorous and practical workshop to effectively train and impart professional skills and expertise to young enthusiastic and unemployed people of the state in the construction sector. One of the trainees requested the department to continue to help the unemployed youth so that they will become economically independent and productive.
Construction sector highest employer
The Urban Development department said the construction industry is one of the highest investment sectors and generates huge employment. In the case of Nagaland, the investment in this sector and related activities generates employment as high as 50,000 to 75,000. It however regretted that due to lack of proper training and guidance, Nagas are rarely employed in this sector. The construction sector alone employs around 7000 non-local workers.
“It is in this sector that Nagas, once properly equipped with adequate skills and knowledge, can take up different skilled jobs such as RCC works, brick masons, tile layer, plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter, metal fabricator, project managers etc,” the department observed.
The training is aimed at imparting technical knowledge regarding building construction to Naga workers and to encourage self-employment. It also aims to encourage the Naga youth to take up skilled jobs in the construction sector, to improve the quality of construction work by conducting regular trainings, to discourage exploitation from non-local workers by bringing about policies of licensing and regularizing the workforce in the construction sector, to create job opportunity and to promote dignity of labor amongst the local youths.
Ken Keditsu, Director Urban Development said the present programme intends to provide intensive training mainly in RCC construction to local Naga workers. “These trainees will assume the role of head instructors in future training programmes and also undertake construction works as skilled workers.”
