Maoist-affected states fail to offer youth jobs
NEW DELHI: Killings of over 3,000 civilians and security personnel by Maoists in various Left Wing Extremism affected states do not seem to have moved the state governments.
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra and others failed to create infrastructure to offer skills and jobs to the youth.
Launched in 34 districts of nine naxal-affected states by the UPA government in 2011 at the behest of ministry of home affairs, the skill development scheme did not really click.
These states were required to set up one industrial training institute (ITI) and two skill development centres (SDCs) in each of their LWE-affected districts by March 31, last year. The districts were identified by MHA. The skill development ministry led by Rajiv Pratap Rudy had to extend the scheme to financial year 2019 and add 13 more districts in the tally taking the total number to 47. Based on the home ministry feedback, Andhra Pradesh with one of its districts was also added taking the number of states to 10.
The Centre’s outlay for the scheme was also revised from ₹241.65 crore to ₹407.85 crore even though a majority of the states failed to utilise the money released to them earlier, said officials of the skill development and entrepreneurship ministry.
According to a ministry report, Bihar with six LWE districts proved to be the worst as no ITI or SDC was set up.
The six districts included Jamui, Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohras, Jehanabad and Arwal.
Between 2011 and 2016, the Centre released ₹20 crore to the state which it failed to utilise.
Jharkhand with 10 LWE districts could complete two ITIs and six SDCs while the work on seven ITIs and 13 SDCs is underway.
The state utilized ₹13 crores of the ₹27 crores released to it. RK Singh Director (labour and training), Jharkhand said, “We faced problems in getting land in LWEhit areas. Besides, contractors were also not ready to work in such areas .”
In Maharasthra where two of its districts, Gadchiroli and Gondia, were identified, no ITI or SDC has been completed. In the funds utilization report, the state spent ₹2 crore out of ₹6.8 crore released to it by the centre.
The skill development minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy recently wrote to the CMs of these states requesting them to personally take interest and activate the scheme.