Job plans in Manipur : A neglected concern

Mohendro Nandeibam *

Let us faithfully accept that "development happens through jobs" (WDR - 2013) in four ways.
No. 1, jobs raise standard of living.
No. 2, jobs increase productivity.
No. 3, jobs enrich social cohesion.
No. 4, jobs connected with global market bring home technological and managerial knowledge.

Perhaps, the sweetest contribution of jobs is the freedom of choice and action enjoyed by workers in due course with the result that the poor get liberated from the bondage of poverty.

Jobs are seen as significant medium that makes the development expectations a reality. The Korean initiative of "National Employment Strategy for the Balance of Growth, Employment and Welfare" is an eye opener. Today job planning becomes a critical component of development planning.

Economy grows as people get better at what they do and move from less productive to more productive jobs without undue obstacles and restrictions. Jobs provide earning opportunities and meet changing behavior of consumption and living standard. As earnings increase, individual choice expands and more time is dedicated to education, healthcare and social engagements.

Monetary and non-monetary advantages have positive impact on the self-esteem and satisfaction with life. Thus getting a job and starting a business are two of the main factors for liberating from the crushing burden of poverty.

Jobs are undoubtedly the most important determinant of living standard. Through the creation and augmentation of productive jobs and subsequent reallocation of other resources Total Factor Productivity increases thereby improving the production of the whole economy. As such jobs are at the root of economic growth.

Jobs go much beyond the opportunity of higher earnings. Jobs define people in many ways and can help develop a new sense of trust and civic engagement. Society may eventually flourish as jobs bring together people of different ethnic and social backgrounds and the mutual trust so gained in the process of interaction becomes a rare social asset.

The people start cultivating a rare sense of larger social engagement beyond one's own group and subsequently the rare social asset goes a long way in strengthening social cohesion. There is also a positive spillover on the young people.

Jobs provide alternative to violence and acts of indiscipline and help restore peace and stability. Jobs may be a yardstick for people to view themselves; a platform for larger interaction with others and thus people acquire better sense of accommodation, adjustment and sacrifice in the corporate world.

What about Manipur ? The State economy, it appears is groaning under the heavy burden of 15,51,184 Non -Workers, unemployment of 11.6% and 36.89% of Below Poverty Line. Every year nearly 40 thousand new job seekers enter the labor market, while the State is facing the chronic problem of structural stagnation.

As many as 4 lakh marginal workers are managing their livelihood with works of less than 183 days a year.

Prolonged unemployment including disguised unemployment brings with itself the seed of disinterest in investment in education, delayed family formation, negative manifestations of citizenship, organizational and technical conservatism.

The rising trend of ugly head of accepting money as a price of vote during election can be traced to the destructive atmosphere of unemployment and prolonged income insecurity. In short, prolonged unemployment has vicious circle of destruction, disorder and dismay. At the end, joblessness becomes a potential source of "mental diarrhoea".

Against the uneasy scenario in the State one finds nearly one lakh persons employed in organized sector. In the unorganized sector nearly 5,74,031 cultivators are working with small and marginal holdings; and 2,29,838 persons in micro enterprises.

What about their productivity? How far their meager earnings can meet their domestic requirements? Where do they live? What are their economic circumstances under which they are working? How far they are conscious of their contributions to the society? One can expect answers to these queries from a comprehensive status of jobs.

Now Manipur has to learn a lesson from China. The present outstanding position of China could be largely achieved through the significant contribution of jobs by the private sector. During the take off in 1980's pledge was given to private enterprises, local Government and rural farmers. The pledge continued.

In 1981 employment generated by the private sector was only 2.3 million as against 80 million of State Owned Enterprises (SOE). After 2 decades the performance of private sector could surpass the State Owned Enterprises by generating 74.7 million jobs as against 74.6 of SOEs.

China was very clear about the critical roles of private sector. Private investment lightens the fiscal burden of government by utilizing their own resources. Besides, private investment creates additional demand, creates higher productivity, creates more jobs, increases labor productivity, introduces new technology and allows creative destruction.

On the whole the general atmosphere gets more congenial and.com-petitive with active and sensitive forward and backward linkages. The distinct advantage of better courtesy, care and convenience gives a unique finishing touch.

Managing State economy without job plans for the last few decides, perhaps, amounts to lopsided behavior with cascading effects in both production and distribution. In practice the jobless are visibly denied benefit of distributive justice and Inclusive Growth.

The unsolved issue of 40% of population Below Poverty Line in the rural sector in the state is largely bom in the womb of prolonged unemployment. What we need in Manipur is Sectoral Job Plans such as; Agricultural Job Plan, Industrial Job Plan and Tertiary Job Plan with a Target of near full employment by 2030.

The urgency of the job plans is reinforced by the challengers of Act East Policy of India, One Economic India and North-East Special Infrastructure Development Schemes. No Nation can make headway without Long Term Perspective Plan and Pro-active Action.