One in every 14 Goans jobless -Herald

April 1, 2013 Goa has highest unemployment rate… TEAM HERALD PANJIM: In a shocking revelation, official figures show that one in every 14 Goans is unemployed, putting the total number of jobless at about 1,13,277 as on January 31. Labour and Employment Minister Avertano Furtado said, that the number could be more as there are several youth who do not register with the Employment Exchange, while replying to a question tabled by Sankhali legislator Pramod Sawant. Number crunching by the government’s Employment Exchange cuts a sorry figure with 69,296 unemployed registered in the North Goa Employment Exchange - situated in Panjim, and the rest registered in South Goa district. Gender-wise, male and females constitute 50:50 of the total unemployed. However, there are overwhelming more females unemployed in north Goa as compared to males, while in the south it is the converse. The north Goa Employment Exchange, has registered 44,648 unemployed females and 24,648 males. In south Goa, more males (31,991) are unemployed compared to females (11,990). As per the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, annual employment-unemployment surveys conducted by the Labour Bureau in 2011 show that Goa has the highest unemployment rate in the country -- estimated at 17.9 per cent i.e. 179 persons out of 1000 persons being unemployed, which is more than even large states generally seen as backward, especially Bihar. Since Goa relatively has a higher standard of living, locals mostly prefer ‘white collar’ jobs. The lack of industrial growth and good quality jobs have rendered many educated youth, unemployed. The government is now aiming to quicken the pace of industrial growth with a new investment policy, whose main highlight is employment generation for locals. The closure of the mining industry has also left several youth unemployed who were otherwise working on contract basis with mining firms. To provide relief to these youth, government has initiated several steps including creation of 400 forest guard posts, increased licences for taxis to ply to the picturesque Dudhsagar waterfall etc. Most industries, including tourism and mining sector and their ancillaries, employ almost 80 per cent contractual labour. http://www.heraldgoa.in/News/Main%20Page%20News/One-in-every-14-Goans-jobless/72629.html