Rajpipala: The state government is giving priority to locals and members of project affected people in jobs and other employment opportunities in and around the statue of unity project, which has brought the central Gujarat district of Narmada and its Kevadia town and adjoining areas on the world tourism map, Collector R S Ninama said.

Ninama informed that 100+ job opportunities were there in the SoU premises, over 200 have already been engaged in valley of flowers project, the company takes care of cleaning in Rashtrapati bhavan has been engaged in SoU project also and has employed 100 people and would absorb another around 100.

‘See with the completion of construction of the 182 meter tall, world’s tallest statue, a total of 4000 people engaged in this project had become jobless of whom around 1000 were locals. That was construction phase and needed large number of workers and now it is maintenance only. The government has decided to engage maximum project affected people, a list of whose family members has been sought from the concerned authorities and the private companies taking up various works here would be instructed to employ them,’ he said.

The collector informed that the maintenance of the valley of flowers would also be handed over completely to the forest committee of more than 200 locals set up by the forest department which also pays their wages. They would also be allowed to pluck and sell flowers.
‘The project affected and local peoples of this tribal belt would be given priority in jobs and other opportunities. The locals make the backbone of any tourist destination and so would be the case with Kevadia and neigbourhood. Hotels, fishing spots, food courts, boating (if allowed) and other activities would absorb more and more locals. This all can’t be done in a day. It is a long process. The PM has also put emphasis on creating more and more job opportunities,’ he said.

The collector also informed that a tribal haat would be developed in Kevadia with a cost of Rs 2.5 crore.
‘It would consist of both shops and sheds and would be used by locals to sell their items. This will also create employment and earning opportunities,’ he added.

DeshGujarat