Kohima ( Nagaland ) : State government has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 3 crore from the chief minister’s fund for implementation of the “Year of Construction Workers” (YoCW) and skill development under the department of labour employment, skill development and entrepreneurship, which is yet to take off.
When contacted, highly placed sources in the department told Nagaland Post that for YoCW, an amount of Rs. 1.5 crore has been sanctioned while another Rs. 1.5 crore has been sanctioned for skill development and entrepreneurship.
Sources said that for the YoCW project, contract was awarded to an architect and gave an amount of Rs. 80 lakh to bring out modalities and to carry out the projects, which was targeted to give a short term course to 500 to 600 youths in the state.
Sources also informed that the contractor would engage class-I contractors and other experts to train the youths in various districts. The contractor has reportedly assured the department to procure mobile van to help youths get trained on construction in all the district headquarters. Also, out of Rs 1.5 crore, the department was contemplating sanctioning Rs. 20-30 lakh to an NGO, YouthNet, to carry out wide publicity of the project and also to monitor and assist the department for successful implementation of the project. Asked whether there was open tender for the contract or for the publicity activities, sources replied in the negative. Rs. 20-30 lakh has been set aside for the departmental expenses, they added.
For the project, the sources said a High Power State Level Steering Committee (HPSLSC) was constituted headed by parliamentary secretary of labour employment, skill development and entrepreneurship as chairman. For the skill development project, the department plans to cover all the 74 identified blocks under state government, wherein the department would appoint aspiration mapping officer (AMO) to take real survey, to identify the job seekers and the potential of that particular area. They said the role of the AMOs would be to interview the job seekers through VDBs and churches.
Sources also said the appointment would be made purely on contract basis for not more than three months on a fixed pay of Rs. 10-15,000. For this, they said aspiring candidates, preferable male local from that particular block, would be appointed, adding the department would float advertisement in local dallies. The project would start by November, they said.
On completion of the project, the sources said the department would tie up with allied departments for further necessary action.
Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals.
