The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Gulf returnees not ‘keen’ on jobs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Gulf returnees not ‘keen’ on jobs

Staff Reporter

Only 10 per cent of returnees take up assignments at job melas

Most of the returnees are not even SSC passed
There is a huge demand for security guards

Sangareddy: The Medak DRDA which has organised job melas for the Gulf returned is disillusioned by the lack of enthusiasm in the affected persons. The three melas held at Siddipet, Ramayampet and Dubbaka were attended by 1,310 returnees. According to the DRDA estimates only ten per cent of them responded positively to the jobs offered by six firms all based at Hyderabad.

Speaking to The Hindu DRDA project director M. Srinivasa Baba said that there is no dearth of jobs if the returnees are willing to start their life at monthly salary of Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 3,000. He said that the National Academy of Construction alone is willing to absorb as many as 4,000 masons and constructional workers in one go. Explaining the reasons for the low acceptance rate for construction jobs, the PD said that it could be because of the huge loans that the affected have taken from private money lenders and the pressure to repay immediately. The data collected by the DRDA suggested that at least 50 per cent of those who were sent out by the Gulf countries have not even completed their SSC and have no technical skills whatsoever. The remaining applicants have either completed SSC or intermediate.

While most of the aspirants refused to take the job offers because they have to move away from their native places, huge rents in Hyderabad has also became a major deterrent. DRDA has been offering unskilled workers a short course in construction work at the DRDA premises here. Later, they could either join NAC, or construction companies like Maytas, and Sunrise. Even though security firms like Star Security are ready to recruit gaurds physical fitness seems to be a major constraint. If found fit they could get Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 9,000 per month as salary, one of the DRDA staff said.

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