Skill-based trainings to restructure livelihood activities in

With 81 per cent of the workforce in eastern Nagaland engaged in agricultural sector and only 18.9 per cent in secondary and tertiary sectors, as per 2011 Census, it is important to restructure livelihood activities for removing such "glaring" gaps, a government official said.

Addressing the valedictory programme of a capacity building training programme here, the official said, according to 2011 Census, 52.7 per cent of the workforce in the state is engaged in agricultural sector and 47.3 per cent in secondary and tertiary sectors.

"With such glaring critical gaps, it is important to restructure the livelihood activities with various skill- based trainings and ensure that the unemployed youth get gainful employment," he said.

 

The training, conducted by the Department of Underdeveloped Areas (DUDA) in the last two months, ended on Thursday.

Speaking at the programme, Advisor for DUDA, N Bonkhao Konyak said, "unemployment is not only an area of concern in Nagaland but it is also a challenging issue in the country."

The capacity building training was organised with an aim of inculcating entrepreneurial skills among the youth of underprivileged sections of society.

With the state government reaching its saturation point in the employment sector, the only window of opportunity was to boost entrepreneurial activities and streamline the job roles according to the training, one has received through capacity building programmes, he said.

The DUDA in partnership with the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) has set up four computer centres in Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphire district headquarters, he said.

Congratulating the trainees, Konyak encouraged them to go back to their areas, open small units, and be an inspiration to others while making an earning with the certificate, tools and equipment along with the seed money provided by the department.

He also said that the department would be closely monitoring their activities to ensure that the training programme had contributed towards improving the socio-economic condition of eastern Nagaland.

Thirty male participants underwent hands-on training on repair and maintenance of power supply, inverter and UPS, while culinary skills were imparted to 24 girls.