Increasing unemployment is a serious concern: Tarigami
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) president and MLA Kulgam, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, on Monday, said that unemployment was a serious concern and successive governments had failed to address it.
Addressing the day long convention on May Day, the CITU president said that the onslaught on labour class is too severe and can only be met with united struggle. “The labour laws across the state were being flouted and the destitute were engaged in government and private sector as ad-hoc, casual, seasonal, need-based, contingency paid workers and contractuals were facing its brunt.”
He said, “Isolated efforts would not be effective. United and bold steps will safeguard the democratic rights of the workers and defeat the anti-worker policies of successive governments.”
He said that the long pending demands of, ASHA’s under NHM, anganwadi workers, CPWs, mid-day meal workers, MGNREGA employees, contractuals, construction workers, need-based, seasonal, casual labouers and daily wagers, were neglected and not met.
“Traditional artisans and weavers, who were badly hit due to last year’s floods, are still to be rehabilitated. Drastic cuts on allocations by Centre in the welfare schemes like ICDS, mid-day meal, NHM has desperately disillusioned the human resource, who work tirelessly and yet get paid meagrely.”
MLA Kulgam observed that labour laws in the state are not in tune with the interests of workers in organized and unorganized sector and there was imminent need to amend and update them.
He said, “The privatization of pension funds, provident funds and cuts in subsidies and welfare benefits is targetting the social security benefits of the working people. The subsidies on food, fuel and fertilizers meant for the common man is being targeted to be brought down to a mere 1.75 per cent of GDP, while as 5% of GDP is being provided for tax defaulters and moneyed class.”
Tarigami said that high level of unemployment was a serious concern and had not been addressed by successive governments thereby causing worry for the youth of the state. “Widespread under-employment is gaining momentum as highly qualified and skilled youth are doing low-end and unskilled jobs.”
Slamming the government, he said that the government seems to be in no mood to take measures to maximize employment opportunities. “The government must formulate a comprehensive employment policy in the state to guarantee job avenues under public and private sectors and to harness the talented human resource.”
KV Correspondent
