Date:03/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/03/stories/2007110352010300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Unemployment dole, only a support for job hunt: Minister

Special Correspondent

Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

HUMANE GESTURE: PWD Minister Durai Murugan giving away a cheque to an unemployed youth in Arcot on Friday. Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu (second from left), K.L. Elavazagan, Arcot MLA (right), and R. Gandhi, Ranipet MLA, are in the picture. —

ARCOT: The unemployment dole given by the government is not a permanent aid but only a support to help the youth buy application forms and meet travel expenses for attending interviews, Minister for Public Works Department Durai Murugan has said.

He was speaking after distributing assistance to beneficiaries under the fourth phase of the scheme in Vellore district on Friday.

Mr. Durai Murugan urged the beneficiaries to try hard to find permanent jobs or opt for self-employment.

The unemployment dole would remove mental frustration and remind the youth that they had to constantly try for jobs, he said.

A total of 18,226 candidates were given unemployment dole to the tune of Rs.1,07,99,400 under the fourth phase of the scheme from July 1 to September 30 in the district, the Minister said.

Training programme

Mr. Durai Murugan also inaugurated a short-term skill development training programme for the beneficiaries and urged them to qualify themselves for employment or self-employment.

Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said that 1.62 lakh posts were vacant in the Railways.

A pass in Standard VIII was sufficient to get into these jobs, he added.

Collector Dharmendra Pratap Yadav, who presided, said that one lakh workers had registered in 13 labour welfare boards in the district.

He called upon the beneficiaries of the unemployment allowance to make the best use of the skill training programme.

Training would be imparted in 174 trades, including electrician work, house wiring, basic maintenance of two-wheelers and three-wheelers, welding arc, welding gas, turning and milling.

The beneficiaries of unemployment dole, who have passed Standard X and Plus-Two, were eligible for the training, he said.

K. Veerappan, Inspector of Labour, Vellore, said that a total of 8,62,349 workers had registered with the Tamil Nadu Manual Labour Welfare Boards from May 13, 2006 to October 26, 2007.

A total of 7,64,601 had registered from the inception of the scheme till May 12, 2006. S. Ramamoorthy,

District Employment Officer, Vellore, welcomed the gathering.