SHILLONG, JAN 12: Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Tuesday demanded that the state government set up Territorial Army so that large scale employment is generated for the youth of the state.
Also as part of the national youth day celebration across the country, KHNAM has also demanded the government to speed up finalizing the State Youth Policy to ensure survival of the state’s backbone, which is the youth.
“The state government should set up the Territorial Army, which has the Home and Heart Battalion and the Ecological Battlation in the state,” KHNAM-State Youth Wing President Thomas Passah told reporters on Tuesday.
He informed that a memorandum was also submitted to the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for his necessary intervention on this regard.
According to him, neigbouring states like Nagaland, Assam, Tripura and others have been able to generate large scale employment for their youths through the Home and Heart Battalion and Ecological Battalion.
“The central government could be approached for the formation of the Territorial Army in the state like other states of the North East,” he said adding “Such steps will ensure cent per cent job reservation for the locals.”
Stating that the state has over 60 per cent unemployed youths, Passah said, “We feel that the youths here need to be given a wider opportunity in military and para military with the support of the government.”
He also said such battalions, if put in place, can be used for tackling insurgency related problems and strengthening the internal security of the state and deployment of paramilitary forces can be sidelined.
Demanding early formulation of the State Youth Policy, the KHNAM state youth wing president said, “Youth of the state needs to be kept at the centre of state’s growth and development because they are the key resources for development as they constitute the largest segment of the population of the state.”
“Unless and until serious steps are taken up by the government to ensure survival and employment of the youth of the state, celebrating national youth day will just be another calendar event,” Passah said.
According to him, the intervention of the state government on the matter will give the youth a better reason to celebrate the day with pride.-By Our Reporter
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