The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Over 800 educated youths get employment

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Saturday, May 24, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Over 800 educated youths get employment

Staff Reporter

Job mela organised by “Vazhndhu Kaatuvom” Society

— Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

Job seekers: Youths lining up to submit applications at the job mela organised by the District “Vazhndhu Kaatuvom” Society at Gudiyattam on Friday.

GUDIYATTAM: About 820 educated youths from Gudiyattam and Alangayam Blocks have been selected for direct employment at the job mela exclusively organised for unemployed rural youths by the District “Vazhndhu Kaatuvom” Society at Thiruvalluvar Higher Secondary School, Gudiyattam, on Friday.

A total of 1,800 unemployed rural youths had registered for the job mela. Out of the total registration, 820 youths had been selected for employment and another 215 youths for various skill development training.

Some of the youths, who had registered for the job mela, said that they were not properly guided. Most of them had to return not exactly knowing the criteria for recruitment. Even the hard copies of the application format were not readily available and the registered youths had to stand in a long queue to take photocopies. Youths from the rural pockets of these two blocks felt that the District ``Vazhndhu Kaatuvom” Society should have planned the conduct of job mela in a better manner.

G.Kumaran, District Project Manager, “Vazhndhu Kaatuvom” Project, said that the job mela intended to provide job opportunities to the rural youths. Five blocks including Alangayam, Gudiyattam, Madhanur, Pernambut and Timiri have been included under the employment generation scheme. The job mela supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Department of Rural Development was conducted exclusively for the poorest educated rural youths.

Database

He said that in every panchayat, a Village Poverty Reduction Committee represented by people living below the poverty line (BPL) had been formed. One of the main responsibilities of the committee was to provide skill training for the unemployed rural youths.

As a step in this regard the Poverty Reduction Committee identified potential unemployed youths in their respective villages. A database of the educated youths had been maintained in all the village panchayats.

Kumaran said that the District “Vazhndhu Kaatuvom” Society organized for job melas and identified companies for recruitment. District Collector Dharmendra Pratap Yadav is the chairman of the society. For the job mela held on Friday, letters had been sent to 15 companies inviting them for recruitment of the rural youths. Eleven companies took part in the job mela including Nokia, Motorola and Foxcon. The other corporate giants that took part include MRF tyres, L&T, Consolidated Construction Consortium Limited and India Pistons.

Similarly, non-governmental organisations such as the Worth Trust took part in the mela to provide opportunities for persons with disabilities. Computer education centres including Apollo, Wisdom and Kennedy also participated in the mela. Companies preferred students who possessed education background from anywhere between fifth standard and Plus-Two.

Each company offered different salary packages which ranged from Rs.2000 to Rs.4000 based on whether the rural youths have been initially appointed for stipend or direct employment.

M.Sakrapani, Livelihoods Specialist, “Vazhndhu Kattuvom” Project, said that rural youth employment programme was being implemented in 70 blocks across 15 districts. Even the potential educated youths under the "Vazhndhu Kattuvom” Project were given training in driving, and earthmover crane operation. Rural girls were given training in Power Machine Tailoring.

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