RAJPIPALA: The Gujarat government's priority is focused towards the locals and members, as well as 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 along with the adjoining areas on the world tourism map.
Ninama informed that over a hundred job opportunities were available in the SoU premises, over 200 had already been engaged in the valley of flowers project, while adding that the company looking into the cleaning of Rashtrapati bhavan had also been engaged in the SoU project and had employed 100 people with an additional 100 people set to be absorbed soon.
"With the completion of the construction of the world's tallest statue, a total of 4000 people engaged in this project have become jobless, out of whom around 1000 are locals. The construction phase needed a large number of workers whereas now only the maintenance bit remains."
"The government has decided to engage the maximum project affected people, a list of whose family members has been sought from the concerned authorities while the private companies taking up various works here would be instructed to employ them," he told UNI.
The collector informed that the maintenance of the valley of flowers would also be handed over completely to the forest committee constituting of over 200 locals, set up by the forest department, which currently pays their wages.
They would also be allowed to pluck and sell flowers.
"The project-affected and local people 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 the neigbourhood. Hotels, fishing spots, food courts, boating (if allowed) and other activities would absorb more and more locals.
All this can't be completed in a day.It is a long process.The PM has also put emphasis on creating more and more job opportunities," he further stated.
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.