Editor,
RBSU has objected to hiring of non-tribal workers on grounds of stealing employment away from locals. This appears to be a fine argument on the face of it. Fighting for local causes will always have mass support, as RBSU is all too aware. But let’s also discuss wages, skills and work ethics of local workers. Are unskilled/ semi-skilled local workers willing to put in the same hours for the same wages as a non-tribal worker? Are their skills on par with migrant workers? Do they abide by work ethics and follow discipline? Nobody would deny employment to their own brethren unless demands are exorbitant or quality of work is seriously bad. This is the reason migrant workers are in high demand. I am sure most NGO members would have used the services of migrant workers in building their own homes or employed them in their businesses. They should introspect about why they preferred migrant workers at a personal level when this goes against their own ideology. Couldn’t they have paid more money for less work by hiring locals? Instead they came down with temporary amnesia in order to extract the maximum bang out of the buck at those times.
Employment and wages are driven by market forces in a healthy economy. One needs to be competitive in order to be relevant. The disastrous outcome of allowing wages to remain consistently out of sync with market forces has thrown the economy into reverse gear. Populist agenda without much substance have gotten us nowhere. Such issues therefore have greater relevance to the topic of unemployment. RBSU should focus on all aspects connected with employment, instead of singling out the obvious ones with mass appeal. It must then come up with an action plan that will focus on employment generation and sustainability in the long term, with the help of like-minded NGOs and the Govt. Are they up to it?
Yours etc.,
Keith Warjri
Shillong – 3
Direct funding for ADCs
Editor,
Of late the demand by the Autonomous District Councils for direct access to Central funds had been sought for a number of issues such as intervention in developmental programs in both social and economic sectors. The ADCs have their own roles, rules and operating procedures as mandated by the Constitution of India and direct intervention at the village level has become more necessary instead of relying solely on the State Government. The District Councils are more or less ‘mini governments’ envisaged to govern directly as an autonomous tribal council. However, if the ADCs’ are given enough financial support without having to pass through the State Legislature but approved by the Governor there will be an efficient, responsible, transparent and accountable delivery system to address many areas left out by the State Government.
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong -3