GUWAHATI, April 11: A whopping amount of almost Rs 15 crore has gone out of the State in the first two months of 2005. The reason : Assamese are an incorrigibly lethargic lot. A bitter truth. The amount, Rs 14,48,50,713, had been money ordered (MO) by various daily-wage labourers who belong to different States of the country.
Even though it may not be of great concern to those at the helm of affairs as well as the hoi-plloi, it does ring a bell of warning as far as the State’s economy is concerned. Out of the Rs 15 crore, Rs 7,54,27,825 was sent outside the State through MO in January and Rs 6,98,25,861 in February. Thus, if on an average Rs 7.5 crore is sent out, then a huge amount of Rs 90 crore is money ordered outside the State every year.
This statistics brings to light another fact. In January, 59,688 persons had sent money to their respective States whereas in February the number was 76,241. This clearly indicates an increase of almost 17,000 labourers who had entered the State in a month’s time. This, by any standard, is alarming.
But at the same time it also brings to the fore the fact that the Assamese will never learn. The bitter truth is that the Assamese are primarily a lethargic lot. An average Assamese would rather laze around than take up a shovel and clean up the mess in his backyard. But he would love to watch an ‘outsider’ do the work for him. This negative trait is well-known and the ‘outsider’ is making the most of it.
Statistics say that the amount sent through MO in 2003-04 was Rs 187,64,07,286.
It may be mentioned that the lion’s share of such amounts every year is sent to Bihar. Next comes Uttar Pradesh in the list. It is a well-known fact that the Rickshaw-wallas, thaila-wallas, barbers etc. are mostly from these two States. A single worker sends Rs 500 to 1,000 home by MO every month.
Incidentally, MO is not the only catalyst which carries the money outside the State. A section of the labourers have accounts in banks and they send their money home through Bank Drafts, cheques and TMOs alike.
It has been alleged that it is because of the failure of the politicians to create lucrative schemes to attract youths that such an age-old habit of shirking work still lingers among the Assamese. But then, what the so-called progressive youth organizations in the State are doing about promoting work culture in Assam remains a million dollar question.
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