Kendrapara: With the campaigning for the ensuing rural polls in Kendrapara district picking up pace by the day, the contestants here have eyed on migrant workers’ votes to emerge victorious.
Many of the candidates are busy making arrangements for temporary return of the migrant workers. Local party workers are leaving no stone unturned in convincing the migrant workers’ families and booking tickets for their return.
A source said around 46 per cent of the total number of bona fide voters under Aul, Rajnagar and Mahakalpada Assembly segments are working outside the district and even outside the state. Every single vote counts as the total number of voters in panchayat segments is very limited.
“Candidates in panchayat elections win or lose by a very narrow margin. The three major political parties – BJD, BJP and Congress – have been attaching utmost importance to the upcoming three-tier polls in Kendrapara district. Since the outcome of the rural polls could possibly determine the outcome of general elections in 2024, it has now become a a prestige issue,” said Sunil Kumar Panda, a local social activist.
Around 57,000 educated youths in Kendrapara, who have registered their names under the district employment exchange, still await jobs. Similarly, more than 3 lakh workers have migrated to places outside the district and state as well, Panda stated.
Meanwhile, local BJD youth wing leader Rajesh Kumar Panda said Chief Minister and the party supremo Naveen Patnaik has always given priority to employment. The BJD-government has implemented welfare schemes such as KALIA and BALARAM for the farmers.
State government has introduced schemes providing loans at nominal rate of interest for SHGs to promote women empowerment. It has launched single-window facilities for young entrepreneurs to avail loans, the youth wing leader added.
BJD-government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ArcelorMittal group to set up a heavy industry in Kendrapara, in order to generate employment. In addition, the government has opened State Institute of Plumbing Technology (SIPT) at Pattamundai, including a skill development centre in the district. Employment fairs (Nijukti Mela) are being held for the local youths, Panda further said.
BJP local youth wing leader Dillip Dash said, “The agricultural and industrial policies of the Central government are very much clear. If properly implemented, no job aspirant would have to leave the district and work elsewhere. The Union government’s welfare schemes are being hijacked by the BJD-government and voters have understood it.”
Congress local youth wing leader Sambit Srichandan said, “Our party is always concerned about migrant workers and youth workforce. Former Chief Minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik had introduced the ‘Thousand Industries Thousand Days’ scheme. The party is capable of finding out a solution to curb migration, he stated.