After doing skill-mapping of the migrants who returned to the state from their workplaces across the country amid Covid-19 lockdown, the UP government is now setting up nearly 850 career counselling centres to connect these job seekers with job providers.
“Nearly 35 lakh migrant workers have returned to the state. We did their skill-mapping. Many of them are skilled and semi-skilled and had been doing well where they worked. Now, when they have completed their quarantine period, they want jobs. They would like to get jobs as per their practised skills. So we planned career counselling centres in all the development blocks to connect the job seekers and job givers,” said UP chief secretary RK Tiwari.
He said he had last week issued a circular to all districts about the career counselling centres and help-desks for the migrant workers and the process had begun.
“They would begin functioning by the end of this month,” Tiwari said.
“In case any worker wishes to return to his original workplace and seeks help, the help desk should also take care of providing all the assistance to such people,” the chief secretary said in the circular.
A committee under the chief development officer in each district of the state will be set up to oversee the implementation of the idea and regular review will also be done.
In a circular to all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, department heads, commissioners and district magistrates, Tiwari said: “Considering the return of migrant workers from various states under Covid-19 lockdown, it is important to get them jobs keeping in mind their skills. So, organise career counselling for them to tell them about employment opportunities and give them information about various government schemes.”
“Establish a help desk at Vikas Bhawan and block development officer’s (BDO) office in each district and appoint an in charge for each help desk,” he added.
Tiwari said the block development officer would decide dates for career counselling and invite the labourers for counselling which must be held while following social distancing norms.
“Also install a helpline for telephonic counselling for those who find it difficult to reach the help desk,” he said.
The CDO, on the 7th day of each month, through the district magistrate would provide the counselling information to the district’s directorate of training and employment office. Officers from various departments would also tell about government schemes and register them.
They would be told about employment opportunities, training programmes and also loan facilities for self-employment.
Talking about migrants’ skills, Tiwari said they are electricians, tailors, carpenters, masons, etc. Such skilled workers could get works in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector and could also be employed under rural livelihood mission, self-help groups and even go for self-employment.
