Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reviews migration from hill areas and calls for an action plan to boost reverse migration, rural employment, self-employment and market access for local products.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami presided over a meeting of the Rural Development and Migration Prevention Commission at the Chief Minister's Residence, wherein the efforts made by the government in relation to migration of the hill areas of the state were taken up for discussion. The meeting concentrated on ways to ensure reverse migration and provide self-employment avenues.
Reverse Migration Scheme Gets a New Push
In the meeting, officials gave updates about the migrant panchayats, migration prevention measures and self-employment awareness camps held in various districts. Suggestions were also given by the members of the commission in regard to providing job and livelihood options in the mountainous regions.
CM Dhami asked the officials to consider the suggestions and prepare a well-thought-out plan of action. He stressed that various departments needed to coordinate and cooperate amongst themselves to implement the schemes and programmes and bring back people to their villages.
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According to the Chief Minister, merely launching schemes would not do. It was necessary that their benefits reached the people and hence better coordination was imperative.
Self-employment Schemes for Villagers
Dhami advocated making information about government self-employment and livelihood schemes easily available to villagers. He asked officials to streamline processes so that beneficiaries do not need to keep going back to government offices and banks to avail themselves of facilities.
He also pointed out the importance of ensuring that systems for bringing information about schemes related to welfare and employment to the village level become stronger. This can help the eligible citizens make use of these facilities.
Use of Local Resources to Generate Jobs for Youth
The Chief Minister talked about the potential of the hilly areas of Uttarakhand to generate livelihoods using local resources, knowledge and skills. He mentioned that youth needs to be encouraged to get employment and self-employment facilities in their own villages.
The government also intends to concentrate on improving the quality and marketing of local produce. Expansion of its reach outside the local markets might be helpful in increasing incomes.
Need for Improving Facilities in Rural Areas to Restrict Migration
According to Dhami, reverse migration is not possible by considering employment opportunities alone; villages need to provide better facilities and quality of life so that people do not migrate from villages.
He asked the departments to cooperate in their efforts and concentrate on achieving results rather than sticking to policy-making and planning alone.
The meeting also went through the progress of migrant panchayats and awareness programmes being organized in different districts to identify the problems and alternatives in employment in rural areas.
