Kohima, July 15 : Naga organisations have become sceptical about the payments to be made to 100 Naga youths for their work in Korean companies abroad while the Centre has delayed their passports.
The Naga organisations feel that $400 a month for a person to work in Korea is too meagre. However, the state government said the youths were to be sent to work in Korean companies abroad as a state-sponsored project for two years where all their expenses would be borne by the government.
“In return, the company will receive a certain sum of money for the placement services rendered along with the expenses for the exercise according to the conditions agreed upon in the agreement for a period of two years,” the additional director of employment and craftsman training, Y. Vandanshan Lotha, said.
He said a memorandum of agreement was signed with CONA Overseas Pvt Ltd, Korea, which was duly registered in India under the Companies Act, 1956, to send 150 people to work in various Korean companies abroad.
He said efforts were being made to ensure that the state-sponsored work force did not fall within the category of bonded or cheap labour. Irked by criticism from some quarters, the additional director called upon the Naga people to motivate youths rather than discourage them.
“The state machinery is gearing up to face challenges from all fronts. Hence it is but prudent to give encouragement with advice and caution being necessary tools,” Lotha said.
However, in a statement from South Korea, Naga Christian Fellowship, Korea, said the state government had decided to send Naga youths to Korea to work in a veterinary company without knowing the reality. “It is total insanity. It is daylight robbery and the Nagaland government is endorsing it in the name of employment. If the Naga youths are to earn Rs 17,848, it is better for the Nagaland government to distribute the amount they are investing in this project equally among the youths and save them two years of slavery and pain,” the Naga Christian Fellowship, Korea, said in a statement. It said 400 dollars per month in Korea was too small an amount.
It urged the state government to take up the matter with the Korean government and the company which is going to employ the Naga youths.
The fellowship has also called upon human rights organisations for their intervention. Around 150 Naga youths will go to Abu Dhabi and Korea to work for CONA Pvt. Ltd companies but the Centre has not issued their passports which has upset the Nagaland government.
“The Centre is very suspicious about us because of various reasons,” Lotha told The Telegraph. Sources attributed the Centre’s half-hearted attitude towards issuing the passports to the political problem in Nagaland.
Lotha said the additional chief secretary and development commissioner, Alemtemshi Jamir, had taken up the issue with the external affairs ministry.
Each Naga youth working in Abu Dhabi will be getting $200 as monthly salary, while in Korea, they would get $400 a month. Lotha said the amount was too meagre despite all the expenses being borne by the state government for two years.
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