Opppsition parties want Odisha government to revive closed industries

BERHAMPUR: Leaders of opposition parties have urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take steps for opening closed industries in Ganjam including Aska spinning mill to provide employment opportunities to migrant workers of the district.

BJP leader Kanhu Charan Pati said reopening of closed industries will help check return migration from the district. In a letter to the CM, he said migrant workers of Ganjam have requisite expertise in the textile sector but are not able to find suitable work avenues in the district. 

“Since the last six months, migrant workers who returned to the district due to Covid-19 outbreak are suffering a lot due to lack of adequate work. Many have also started going back to their workplace in absence of employment opportunities. This is the right time for the State Government to revive the closed units,” Pati said.

Similarly, working president of Ganjam Congress unit Pitabasa Panda said special Shramik trains have been started for the return journey of migrant workers to Surat. But the Government is yet to take any steps to tap the potential of migrant workers who are in great demand in other States. 

In a letter to Odisha Governor, leader of Prabasi Odia Yuvak Pratisthan Srikant Padhy stated that though Ganjam is the most populous district of the State with abundant natural resources, its record in providing employment to youths is dismal. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, over four lakh migrant workers have returned to their native places in Ganjam and are leading a miserable life without any work, he alleged.

Padhy urged the Governor to take steps for setting up of a textile park in the heritage village Padmanabhapur. He also demanded for making registration of workers from Ganjam migrating to other States mandatory.