Keonjhar: Mineral-rich Keonjhar has a number of industrial units, but they have not created employment opportunities for locals, a report said.
The report said, these industries have engaged more people from outside than locals. Given the job scenario, the number of local employments these industries have given people is not encouraging.
The mining sector can absorb more people in work. But it was alleged that minerals mined here are exported to other states while machines have been engaged in mineral extraction and uploading. It is said, thousands of people can be engaged in this sector, if machines are avoided.
According to information available from the district labour department, there are 15 major industrial units which have provided employment to only 6288 local people while lakhs of unemployed youths are jobless. Of them, 349 are women and 5,939 males. KJS Alauwalia plant at Ruali has engaged 571 local people while Ariay Iron and Steel at Matkambeda has created job scope for 622 locals.
The Tata Groups’ TSLP at Bileipada has engaged 814 males and 86 females from the locality in its plant. Similarly, Patnaik Steel at Purunapani has provided jobs to 259 locals while Ardent Steel at Phuljhara has provided jobs to the same number of people from the locality.
Ferro Alloy Plant run by Tata Group has engaged only 340 people while Sri Metallic at Anra has provided jobs to 398 local people.
Sri Mettalik at Loida has given engagement to 775 local people. In case of Jindal Steel, the number of local employment is 848.
Essar Steel has engaged 218 males and 43 females in its plant. Jagannath Stel at Ulliburu has engaged 248 local people.
However, various outfits and experts have laid stress on creating more jobs for local people as the industrial units are exploiting the natural resources of the district. Director of the Ardent Steel, Subhasish Das said their plant has 98 per cent engagements of local people.
Saroj Kumar Biswal, president of Sri Mettalic said that two to three people of each family in the peripheral villagers have been engaged in the plant.
District labour officer Suryanarayan Mali said if the state government comes out with a special policy, step will be taken to ensure more job scope for locals in the industries.
PNN