The Hindu : New Delhi News : 24 years on, still waiting for jobs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 29, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

24 years on, still waiting for jobs

Bikaner: Twenty-four years after they gave away their only source of income -- their land -- to a State-owned corporation for public good, 139 families of a small village here are still waiting for the jobs they were promised in return.

Now these residents of Barsingsar village in Bikaner district say they are left with no option but to leave their village for work to make ends meet.

The land of some 174 families of Barsingsar village had in 1987 been acquired by the Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited for establishing a power project.

The firm had in return promised to provide jobs to one member of each family. While the promise was kept to 35 families, the remaining families are still waiting for the elusive jobs, Bikaner Panchayat Samiti Pradhan Bom Raj Arya said.

He said 25 more people have appeared for interviews but they are yet to receive an offer and the other 114 families have been running from pillar to post but to no avail.

The affected families say neither was the job given nor did the project bring the promised development to their village and that they had no option but to move out in search of work.

Official sources acknowledged that under the agreement between the firm and the Rajasthan government jobs had been promised. They contended that 25 interviews had taken place in recent times, and the “process was on”.

Bikaner Lok Sabha MP Arjun Meghwal said the resentment of the people was justified and they should be immediately given jobs. - PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi