Unemployment in North East India

The ill-effects of unemployment at its extremity are witnessed in the North East India. The simplicity and the innocence of its people are slowly but steadily getting replaced by a sense of insecurity.

The numbers of private enterprises, small and medium businesses which usually are the employment generators of our country are very less in this region. It is primarily the government organizations and the educational sector that one is left with to seek a job. Therefore, the people there have limited options, and the job versus the population ratio in the remaining sectors is abysmally low.

Unemployment for years has induced a state of hopelessness and meaninglessness among the youth of the north-eastern states. A usual scene there is that of the educated young boys loitering around aimlessly or playing carom at the corner shop, or just gossiping endlessly. Though the basic purpose of education is to make one well reasoned, aware, self-respecting, civilized and wise; it also pertains to providing livelihood to the person who spends 15 years to get graduated. The increasing number of degree holding unemployed youth in this region points towards the failure of the utilitarian side of education. Consequently, education is slowly losing its value in the minds of the people there. Many talented youth are living a depressed life. Making the education system more job and practical application oriented is the need of the hour. Encouraging vocational training will be a good start.

Some people have taken another option, which is, to move to another state or city in search of employment and a better life. However, this also is a difficult choice posing different challenges. Leaving away from family, adjusting to a new place and a new language, and cultural differences are not easy to cope for every human being. Moving out of your state for a better life is satisfying for some, when it is a choice but not a compulsion.

Scarcity has the power to create fights in closely knitted family. This is exactly what has happened to this region and its people. Competition for the scarce end user resources has created hatred and intolerance among the people here leading to internal conflicts; riots being the worst.

The crime rates in north-eastern states have increased at an alarming rate. The circumstance has pushed the youth to undertake these measures for survival and engagement.

It is unemployment that has pushed the north-eastern youth towards Terrorism. Being a part of such arrangement has become an easy source of income generation for the youngsters. They terrorize the local civilians seeking ransom amount from them. With every passing year, the numbers of such small terrorist groups have been on a rise.

Entrepreneurship can be a constructive solution to the unemployment in the north-east region. The entrepreneurial mindset is not stimulated enough among of the indigenous people of the area. The area needs a push from external agents in this regard. Initially, this will need strong support from the government and the NGOs. Micro-finance credit and appropriate training hold the key. The need for achievement training may provide the much-needed impetus. This kind of forward-moving initiative will empower lot of people and provide a moral boost for the rest. The efficient implementation of Self Help Group model with further modifications on need and situation basis will deliver positive results.

The setting up of medium and small enterprises will in turn generate employment in large numbers. The handloom, agriculture, dairy, food processing are some of the industries which have immense growth potential, not just in the region but much beyond. Tourism is another area which if worked strategically can benefit not just the North East states but the entire country. Once the youth are engaged in formal work, the small terrorist outfits will stop growing and lose its strength.

This will remove hindrances in substantial investments from MNCs which otherwise are apprehensive to venture in the region for the unrest in the society.
The Non-Governmental Organizational (NGO) sector needs further strengthening as it must play a crucial role in leading the people in the right direction and eradicating the currently existing societal disorders. We need to achieve the conversion of the affluent natural resource of the region into prosperity of the people to eliminate unemployment.