Migrant labourers to be registered at panchayat level.

In order to check the flow of migrant labourers to other States, the State Government has decided to introduce registration of labourers at the panchayat level. All the labourers who want to flee their areas in search of livelihoods have to register themselves before the sarpanches.It has been found that as there is no system of registration of labourers at the panchayat level, Government finds itself unable to track the movement of labourers. Sometimes, the labourers get infected with the AIDS and return to their village. "In order to avoid of all sorts of problem and to save the labourers from further exploitation, the Government is planning to register the names of the labourers at the panchayat level," said Labourer and Employment Secretary Ashok Kumar Tripathy on Wednesday after attending a review meeting on Self-Employment programme chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat.

Briefing the media persons, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy said three lakh self-employment opportunities have been created since Employment Mission came into existence in 2006. In order to create awareness among the people about the job opportunities programme, the State Government has started organising self-employment meal at block level. In the current financial year, the one day self -employment mela would start from June 20 and continue till July 5 at block levels.Steps would be taken to impart special training to youths on water supply pipe repair at Pattamundai and motor repair works at Cuttack. The State Government has decided to open up seven Apparel Training Design Centres.

In yet another significant decision, the State Government has decided to create a new cadre to empower the women. The cadre would be known as Shakti Sahayika. They would act as business development service providers for the Women Self Help Group. Those who passed Plus Two examination would be considered for the post of Shakti Sahayika. Government would not give them the remuneration. They would get their dues from the women self help group for proving training to them.Tripathy further steps would be taken encourage youths to opt careers in army. "The pre-recruitment training programme would start from June," he said.Development Commissioner RN Bohidar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Bijoy Kumar Patnaik, Secretary, Industries Chinmoy Basu, Director, Employment Mission, Subha Sharma attended the meeting.