PROBLEMS OF URBAN UNEMPLOYMENT
Alladi Kuppuswami
There has
been in recent times a large exodus from the village to towns and cities. One
of the main reason is the lack of adequate employment opportunities in the
villages. If proper avenues of
employment are made available in villages the exodus can be contained. Other reason for migration to cities are
lack of proper medical facilities in the village and a feeling of
insecurity. Police help is not easily
available and if a person is injured or becomes ill, good hospitals are far
away and not easily accessible. If
hospitals or clinics are established in every village or a group of villages,
this will provide employment opportunities as ward boys, nurse and even
doctors. Government doctors must not
only be encouraged but must even be compelled to serve at least for few years
in village hospitals. The reason for the reluctance of doctors and nurses is
lack of proper housing accommodation and ordinary comforts. If these are provided they will be more
inclined to serve in the villages.
As most of
the industries and factories are concentrated in or near big cities people from
villages try to flock to cities in the hope of getting employment. Efforts must be made to locate industries
and factories in small towns.
Agro-based industries like manufacture of fertilizers and agriculture
implements are some industries, which can and should be located near villages. This will also avoid the enormous pollution,
which is rampant in big cities. Another
reason for migration to cities is the lack of proper education facilities. Schools must be established in villages or
groups of villages with adequate number of teachers. The schools must concentrate on giving vocational training.
In Soviet
Russia, overcrowding in cities was checked by insisting on permits for people
from outside the city to enter the city.
Some such systems for controlling migration to cities may be explored.