Guwahati: The public sector Oil India Limited (OIL) has assured Assam government to recruit around 2500 youth of the state to various ranks in the company in next five years to help the state to ease the burgeoning unemployment problem.
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the OIL, Utpal Bora on Thursday gave an assurance in this regards to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during a meeting with the latter here.
Sonowal requested to the country’s second biggest state-owned oil and gas exploration and production company to take proactive steps for generating more job avenues for the youth of Assam.
Sonowal also advised the OIL to take up visible Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects through credible NGOs as the same would also open up job opportunities for local youth.
Advocating innovation and adoption of newer technology by the oil major, Sonowal sought OIL’s support in implementation of ‘waste to resource’ project and asked the company to venture into solid waste management for production of organic manure and generation of power in the state.
“Management of solid waste is a major challenge for all urban areas. If OIL employs its expertise and technology to produce organic manure and generate power by investing CSR fund in solid waste management projects, this will be its biggest contribution to the state”, the CM told the CMD of OIL.
In response the CMD of the OIL urged the state government to submit a proposal highlighting the project details for finalization of the same in its Board meeting. He also suggested for roping in reputed companies working in the field to successfully roll out project in the state.
The OIL CMD expressed keenness to supply piped cooking gas to households in all major towns of the state and urged the CM to take steps for connecting Assam with the National Gas Grid.
Considering insufficient gas production in the state, the OIL CMD said, once Assam was connected with the grid, OIL would buy gas from the grid and market the same as piped gas to households and industries in all important cities and towns in the state. This will significantly reduce expenditure on cooking fuel also, he said. Presently, the National Grid is connected upto Haldia in West Bengal.
The OIL’s CMD also raised security concerns of the PSU and impact of law & order situation on oil and gas exploration during discussion. Sonowal advised the CMD to increase the presence of Assam State Industrial Security Force which is manned by local youths, in the company for addressing its security issues.
The Chief Minister further urged OIL to develop Duliajan as ‘Oil City’ where the headquarteed of the OIL is located, with all modern amenities, seamless communication system and infrastructure. He also asked the navratna company to develop the river-front at Dibrugarh starting from Maijanghat to Bogibeel Bridge to make the same as centres of tourist attraction.
