Kohima: Facing high reliance on government for job opportunities and saturation of government posts, Nagaland officials have emphasized the need to develop a work culture among the young generation.
special officer to Chief Minister of NagalandNeibalie Rio, during the reopening of Vivid Lounge, a restaurant run by Naga youth Kekhrie Pfukha in Kohima, said that government jobs in the state have long been saturated and people are still unwilling to accept the fact that they need to find alternative livelihoods .
While congratulating Pfukha on reopening the restaurant after the COVID-19 pandemic, he commended the entrepreneur for venturing into the entrepreneurial sector even when most Naga youth are in search of government jobs.
One reason for the dependence on government jobs is the lack of work culture in the population and the desire for easy money. “A general perception of wanting jobs in the government sector stems from a no-work concept of pay,” he added.
In support of his observations, Rio said Nagaland is a resource-constrained state with no resources of its own.
“Even though Nagaland receives Rs 326 crore each month as a revenue deficit grant from the center and Rs 270 crore as the state’s share of central taxes, amounting to Rs 596 crore, about Rs 680 crore is spent on government employees’ salaries and pensions alone, what puts the state in deficit and leaves less room for development,” Rio said.
Rio has pushed for the need to develop a work culture and suggested that youth should not waste time sitting idle or looking for government jobs, but should venture into the entrepreneurial and business sectors.
In this context, he highlighted the recently launched Chief Minister Micro Finance Scheme to support young people who want to take the step into entrepreneurship.
Under this program, he said, there are provisions for Agri & Allied, livestock, farming and so on. In addition, he encouraged youth to become self-sufficient in order to create a self-sufficient economy.
The restaurant’s owner, Kekhrie Pfukha, who is also the president of the Angami youth organization, shared how he returned to the state from Delhi to venture into the business sector.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected all areas of life, also hit the hospitality industry. The restaurant has been temporarily closed as it has been hit hard by the pandemic and COVID-related lockdown.
After actively engaging in the fight against COVID-19 through his social services, the entrepreneur and youth leader also took time to give the restaurant, located at the PHQ intersection, a major facelift.
It reopened on Saturday night after a brief ceremony attended by friends and well-wishers. The ceremony was presided over by Neidilhoutuo Sechü, while the invocation was delivered by Angami Women Organization President Neilhouzono Nagi. A special number was presented by Mengu Suokhrie.
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