The city Corporation has managed to hit the target of 1,000 jobs per year in the first year of the Athijeevanam Project, launched in 2021-22 with the aim of creating 5,000 jobs over five years. The civic body had recently carried out an assessment of the first year of the Athijeevanam project implementation. A total of 1,089 people, including 93 individual entrepreneurs and 237 group entrepreneurs, launched their initiatives in 2021-22 in the city through loans arranged by the Corporation under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM).
Forty eight people secured jobs after skill training under the NULM. Four new Janakeeya restaurants were opened in the city, providing jobs for 14 people. Bulk loans were provided to 23 neighbourhood groups to launch various initiatives. A total of 119 units have started functioning using the community enterprise funds. Jobs were provided to 441 people under the Haritha Karma Sena. Using the linkage loans provided through NULM, 159 initiatives were launched, while 32 others were launched using the revolving fund. Under the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, 1,558 people were provided employment in the Corporation area.
Under new initiatives in the project, the civic body will, in addition to generating jobs, look for temporary openings in various government and non-government institutions in the Corporation area and will ensure the appointment of deserving candidates in these posts. The Corporation will be organising job fairs, which it had last organised a few years back. Consultations will be held with the heads of various departments and other employers within the city to frame the plan of action. A digital labour data bank and a web portal will be formed to connect job seekers and employers. The civic body is planning to create jobs of its own for workers in the Haritha Karma Sena, as e-auto rickshaw drivers and in the construction and housekeeping wings.
The paper and cloth bag manufacturing units that have been opened in recent years, as part of the Corporation's push towards alternative products to plastic, are another avenue for job creation. Jobs will also be generated under the various projects funded by the Union and the State government.
