Regional economic scheme for the unemployed brings hope to Asetkong

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, Jan. 7 (EMN): An economic empowerment scheme called the Asetkong Youth and Women Economic Empowerment (Ayawee) Scheme has been launched in Mokokchung. The scheme was launched at the Senden Salang, in Sungratsu village of Mokokchung district, on Monday.

Ayawee is said to be a brainchild of legislator Imtiwapang Aier. The scheme aims to empower youths and women economically through self employment. It is believed to be the first of its kind in the region. Literate but unemployed youths and women will be given the opportunity to start livelihood projects without them having to depend on the government for employment.
In his keynote address during the launch of the programme, Aier said the increase in the number of educated unemployed youths and womenfolk has become a threat to the development and social stability of the constituency.

Aier said that bringing sustainable economic development to the people was his core agenda during his election campaign. He said ‘Ayawee’ is to push back against the burden of unemployment, and in its place generate sustainable livelihood.

During an interaction, Aier also said Asetkong range has a high rate of educated unemployed youths and women, while employment in the government sector has reached a point of saturating.
To accommodate unemployed youths and women, he said, the only alternative is to empower them economically by providing monetary and logistic assistance to establish them; their business will become their main source of earning a livelihood.

The legislator also asserted that Ayawee will target self help groups and youths; they will be trained if required, and will be provided with seed money and logistics to start their business with ‘100 per cent subsidy’ through a small per cent share from the LADB fund. He added that the scheme will be ‘inclusive’ for Asetkong citizens.

If Ayawee is successful, he said, within 10 years the problem of unemployment in the range will be minimized to an extent. He was optimistic that such an initiative would change the common trend of employment moving into the government sector, and lead to a prosperous self-reliant economy.