Entrepreneurs employ non locals at Lassipora estate

The industrialists have preferred to employ non local residents at the Lassipora estate with over   6000 non-state subjects given jobs by different unit holders here.

At the estate over 180 units are functional, and as per police records, on an average each unit employs 30-40 non local residents.  However unit holders say that lack of skilled labour forces them to employ people from outside. The units have only Kashmiri drivers, while most of the skilled jobs are performed by outsiders.

Nisar Ahmad, who runs a unit at the estate, which manufactures carved wooden doors and windows, said that “it is difficult to find skilled labour locally for the job.”

“The  wood carving was our mainstay  but now the trade runs due to non-locals,” he said.  Ahmad said that the wood carver gets around Rs 1600 to design a door and finishes at least two doors a day, but even as the money is  better “ but there are not many Kashmiri youth skilled in the job.”

Mudassir Shah, who runs a fertilizer manufacturing unit at the estate, said that he had employed 4 local youth and expected that they will pick up the expertise and train other locals. “The plan has not worked and we continue  to employ non-locals,” Shah said. Unit holders said that the non local residents pick up easily and show inclination for the jobs at the factories, while locals most prefer employment in services sector.

Youth said that they  are offered lesser salary at the estate. “I am a graduate and was offered Rs 3200  as a starting salary at one of the units,” said Bilal Ahmad, a local from Tahab area of Pulwama, adding that he could earn better wages in other job.