Rozgar Mission to pave way for employment opportunities abroad

Lucknow: The state cabinet on Thursday gave nod to the formation of the Uttar Pradesh Rozgar Mission that would help people from state find jobs across India as well as abroad.

Labour minister Anil Rajbhar said till now, the labour and employment department used to connect people with jobs through schemes like rozgar melas. The mission, however, would involve direct support of the govt to link persons with employers.

"We have set a target of finding jobs for 25,000-30,000 people abroad and up to 1 lakh within the country in the next one year. The reason this is a game changer is because now the govt will have its own recruiting agent licence. Till now, we had to depend on recruiting agents for foreign job placements ," he said. Rajbhar added that there was currently a huge demand for paramedical staff, nurses, drivers, technical persons, skilled and semi-skilled labour in countries like the Gulf, UAE, US, Canada, Israel etc.

The activities of the mission will include survey of job demand, listing of top companies and collecting their requirements, identifying skill gaps and offering training, language training and pre-departure orientation, career counselling and campus placements, and post-placement support and follow-ups.

The mission will be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It will operate through five major units, which will include the governing council, state steering committee, state executive committee, state programme management unit and district executive committee.

In another major step aimed at increasing the participation of women in the work force, the cabinet has allowed relaxation of rules governing the employment of women in hazardous workplaces.

"The Yogi govt has now permitted women to work in all 29 categories of hazardous factories under certain safety conditions. Till now they were barred from working in such factories," Rajbhar said.

"The amended rules aim to provide women with equal employment opportunities, ensuring they play an active role in UP's journey towards becoming a USD 1 trillion economy ," he said.

It was also decided that retired army personnel need not only be employed through the GeM portal. Now they can be hired through the Purva Sanik Kalyan Nigam, which will be paid a 5% charge per person for their services.