Rayagada: The tribal-dominated Rayagada district produces over 10,000 educated youths to join work-force. As against this, the number of youths who are uneducated or have discontinued their studies is more giving rise to massive unemployment crisis in the district.
According to sources, an employment drive taken up by the district employment exchange authorities over past five years draws a gloomy picture of Rayagada district. Whereas 2,138 youths had registered their names in the district employment exchange in 2015, only 144 applicants could fetch jobs during the year.
Likewise, while 1789 youths had registered their names under Gunupur subdivision employment exchange, only three candidates were recruited by several employers. Moreover, 1721 applicants were registered under the district employment exchange in 2016, of which 125 got jobs. Similarly, under Gunupur subdivision exchange, 1265 youths were registered out of which only 96 were recruited.
In 2017, as against 1886 registered manpower in Rayagada district exchange, only six persons got jobs and under the Gunupur employment exchange, against 1665 names registered only one person was recruited. Furthermore, 1721 youths were registered under the district employment exchange in 2018 and five of them got jobs. Under the Gunupur subdivision exchange, 1750 applicants had registered and only three youths were employed in the same period.
As Rayagada district exchange and Gunupur subdivision exchange had registered 1458 and 1398 names respectively in 2019, none got jobs. During past five years, 16,791 applicants had registered their names out of which only 413 candidates got employment.
The district authorities has no data as to how many youths are still unemployed in Rayagada district, how many have discontinued their studies, the sources informed.
This gloomy picture of unemployment in Rayagada district had triggered socio economic problems. Often poor and uneducated youths are compelled to go outside in search of jobs as bonded labourers, local youths sighed.
The condition of rural youths in the district is still worse. In the absence of jobs, youths also indulge in criminal activities. The district administration should take the matter seriously and find out ways. Adequate fiscal support should be provided to make them self-reliant.
Nationalised banks should come forward to extend loans to local youths and adequate training should be imparted to youths by the district administration for their skill development, local intelligentsia opined.
YEAR REGISTERED EMPLOYED
2015 2,138 144
2016 1,721 125
2017 1,886 6
2018 1,721 5
2019 1,458 0
(Statistical data of Rayagada District Employment Exchange)
YEAR REGISTERED EMPLOYED
2015 1,789 3
2016 1,265 96
2017 1,665 1
2018 1,750 3
2019 1,398 0
(Statistical data of Gunupur Subdivision Employment Exchange)
PNN