Can Nagaland reverse unemployment?

November 5, 2022 194 Views No Comment

Dignify jobs irrespective of description’

Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 5

Nagaland has the peculiarity of having not only distressing unemployment in general but also a problem of employability.

As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for 2020-21, Nagaland’s unemployment rate was at around 20 percent, the highest in the country. The same data points to 1/3rd of all ‘educated persons’ unemployed and a particularly high rate of joblessness among youths with college degrees.

There are fully sponsored job-oriented skilling programmes, under which hundreds have been trained and given job placements, but the effect of it has yet to translate into robust economic growth or data.

The conundrum was the feature of a panel discussion titled ‘Local employment opportunities for Naga youth’ organised on November 4, as part of the National Innovate Integrate Expand (NIIE) Trade Fair, underway at the NER Agri Expo, Chümoukedima. The business summit has been organised by the Business Association of Nagas (BAN) with the support of the Ministry of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

The tone of the discussion was set by the Mission Director of the Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission, Imtimenla, who in her keynote address, held that it is more a question of “Unemployability” than unemployment, irrespective of educational background or lack thereof. According to her, there are government sponsored skilling programmes but the big question is whether it is enabling livelihood enhancement.

“Can we do something about it?” was the question pitched by the Moderator, Dr Yan Murry, BAN General Secretary, who is also Chief Executive of Pinnacle Skills.

In the panel were Menuoneiuto Chadi, Chief Operating Officer (Skills), NSRLM; T Chubayanger, CEO NBOCWWB and Assistant Labour Commissioner; Achen Imchen, CEO, ELS International; Pele Khezhie President, Nagaland Contractors and Suppliers Union; and Dr Nzan Ngullie Assistant Professor, NIT Nagaland and Consultant, Engineering Projects, GoI.

Dr Nzan Ngullie stated that skilling up would be a key element to overcoming the problem of unemployment facing Nagaland today. He cited three sectors— Construction, oil and agriculture. The state has yet to exploit its petroleum reserve but he said that if it does takes off, local youths would have tough time trying to get into jobs requiring technical skills. In such a scenario, he said that being landowners would not be enough. “We will get some unskilled jobs. But what of the hundreds of other jobs that require skills? We need skilled people. Nobody is going to give these jobs to the landowners,” he said.

According to Chubayanger, attitude towards work has also partially to blame for the high unemployment. While there are the unemployable as a result of not acquiring the required skills, there are also those who are unwilling to work despite having the skills, he said. Another area he pointed out was the bridging of a perceived “trust deficit” between potential employers and available workforce. He further said that the state has to work on absorbing youths, working outside after undergoing skill training, who would wish to return.

Menuoneiuto Chadi aired a similar view stating that only about 20 percent of those who are imparted skill training are retained in the state. “Many want to work here but they don’t find the work. There is a disconnect. Can we as business owners set up small units to absorb our own people?”

According to Pele Khezhie, employers like him in the construction sector want to employ “our own people but we are not getting it.” This, he said, could be due to a misplaced notion of self-respect. While calling for dignifying jobs irrespective of description, he said, “Dignify them and the job they take up and importantly, we need trust and understand their problem.”

Self-made and a successful entrepreneur, Achen Imchen said, “We have a lot of opportunities if only we are sincere.” Citing from his personal experience, he said that Naga youths are fast learners and employable contrary to the notion that they are unemployable.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/can-nagaland-reverse-unemployment