Mangaluru: The Department of Ecology and Environment in association with the district administration and Zilla Panchayat organized “Mangaluru Udyoga Mela”, at Canara Engineering College premises, Benjanapadav here, on November 19.
The programme began with the state anthem. Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim welcomed the gathering. The programme was inaugurated by the Managing Director of Selcom India Pvt Ltd and Magsaysay award winner, Dr H Harish Hande by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.
Congratulating the district administration for creating employment for over 15000 applicants through the Udyoga Mela, Dr Harish said that when the educated do not get jobs, they get involved in anti-social activities. Citing the example of the attacks in Paris last week, Dr H Harish Hande said that the 8 terrorists involved in the attacks came from localities known to be the most unemployed districts, with an unemployment rates of 30%. “Unemployment is a very big issue and most of the violent, destructive acts shows that when there is unemployment, youth fall to destructive ways. All the terrorism and religious hatred that happens in the world and our country is because of people who have too much time. Let us make everybody very busy for the world by increasing employment.”
Advising the youth to not just complain all the time and blame the government for all problems, he said, “When an opportunity is given, you should take it. It is your responsibility as a citizen of the Karnataka and India, to utilise it. The responsibility of the government is 10%; the rest is up to you. The government will only facilitate what needs to be facilitated. The rest is in your hands. The country is in your hands. So take yourselves and the country forward.”
Dr Harish further said, “We, the people from Karnataka, are very poor in marketing the things that we have done for the country. We are also a center of innovation. We need to take advantage of what Karnataka has done in rural innovation, be it in agricultural, technology, business models or water management. In the last 2-3 years, most of the rural innovations have come out from Karnataka, according to a World Bank report. So let us create an international innovation center in the district. We should create a yearly national/international innovation exhibition, so that this district becomes a center of innovation for not only the country but also the world.”
Dr Harish Hande was felicitated by the district in-charge minister, Ramanath Rai. Addressing the gathering, Ramanath Rai said, “November 19 is a historic day in the history of Mangaluru. I had a dream to hold the Udyoga Mela to provide jobs to our youth because after the completion of education if the youth do not get jobs, they make friendship with people who are jobless and sometimes get involved in anti-social activities. If the educated youth will not get jobs, parents also feel uncomfortable. Some youth, after completing their education, go outside the state or country and sometimes they face problems too. So we thought of holding the Udyoga Mela in the district so that the youth of our district will be benefited.”
He further said that entrepreneur skills are in our blood. “We have a number of banks and if anyone wants to start their own business, banks provide them loan. The people in the district are well educated and they are financially and socially strong. We have to start an innovation centre in Mangaluru because Karnataka is the state of innovation. Earlier, population was considered a burden but now it has become the strength and asset of the country.” He congratulated all the job aspirants and assured to hold the Udyoga Mela every year.
Commissioner Employment and Training department of Labour J Manjunath, Chairman of Alva’s Group of Institutions Dr M Mohan Alva, SP Dr Sharanappa, ZP CEO Sreevidya, Mayor Jacintha Alfred, Pius Rodrigures, Yashwanth, Premalath, Dr Iftikar, Ganesh Bhat, Ibrahim Kodijal and others were also present.
