Yesterday was a sad day. A young Assamese boy from Jorhat lost his life crossing train tracks in the wee hours. In Mumbai, it is dark till 6:45 these days, and the local trains hardly make any sound.
I wonder why he had to die in Mumbai leaving his old parents alone.
He was one of the security personnel in my office premises. He was a graduate. Our office premise has 11 young Assamese boys. In the last 5 years, Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa are attracting a lot of young educated unemployed boys from Axom in the semi-skilled segment. They are mostly into security agencies and hospitality as waiters and helpers.
Unlike the migrants from rest of India, these Assamese youths are mostly 12th pass and graduates. They have no hope of a career in their motherland. They think it would be easier outside. In 1997, I thought so too.
This is especially hurting because Axom is rich in natural resources. Coal and Oil industry is flourishing. Its land is very fertile. Tea, Bamboo, Water Hyacinth etc are in abundance. Rice is a cash crop with varieties like Joha which can give Basmati a complex. Trading with other states and internationally have become easier. Tourism has tremendous potential. Axom is not only beautiful but also, is the gateway to the beautiful north east.
Still our youth are coming out for semi-skilled labour.
We as a community are failing. The Government and policy makers of the state machineries are failing. The intelligentsia is failing.
Why is it difficult to be self sufficient as a state? There is no dearth of avenues.
There is dearth of thinking and action at the upper layers of the society who can influence social and economic progress in the state.
I feel a lot of pain.
I wonder why he had to die in Mumbai leaving his old parents alone.
He was one of the security personnel in my office premises. He was a graduate. Our office premise has 11 young Assamese boys. In the last 5 years, Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa are attracting a lot of young educated unemployed boys from Axom in the semi-skilled segment. They are mostly into security agencies and hospitality as waiters and helpers.
Unlike the migrants from rest of India, these Assamese youths are mostly 12th pass and graduates. They have no hope of a career in their motherland. They think it would be easier outside. In 1997, I thought so too.
This is especially hurting because Axom is rich in natural resources. Coal and Oil industry is flourishing. Its land is very fertile. Tea, Bamboo, Water Hyacinth etc are in abundance. Rice is a cash crop with varieties like Joha which can give Basmati a complex. Trading with other states and internationally have become easier. Tourism has tremendous potential. Axom is not only beautiful but also, is the gateway to the beautiful north east.
Still our youth are coming out for semi-skilled labour.
We as a community are failing. The Government and policy makers of the state machineries are failing. The intelligentsia is failing.
Why is it difficult to be self sufficient as a state? There is no dearth of avenues.
There is dearth of thinking and action at the upper layers of the society who can influence social and economic progress in the state.
I feel a lot of pain.
