Avik Chakraborty
57-year-old former ULFA cadre Moni Manik Gogoi who turned into a successful farmer of upper Assam is an living example for the unemployed youths.
Moni Manik Gogoi, who had joined United Liberation Front of Asoma(ULFA) in 1988 was arrested in 1989 and sent to Dibrugarh jail. After he got released from jail, he started farming and inspired thers to take up farming.
Moni Manik Gogoi, resident of Salmara, Digholiya in Tingkhong area of Dibrugarh district encourage youths to become self -employed.
Speaking to OurIndia, Moni Manik Gogoi said, “After I got released from jail, I embarked on a new journey by taking up farming. After staying at jail for six months, I realised that only ‘Work Culture’ can save the youths of Assam from joining the rebel outfit. In our times, many youths had joined the rebel group but later a lot of them returned to the mainstream.”
“With the help of Oil India Limited, I started a programme called Rupantar in 2003 which has brought changes where the farmers are tilling their land with mechanised instruments. I started to work for the marginalised people and encouraged them to take up farming. Many youths have taken to farming and have become self sufficient through farming,” Gogoi added.
Moni Manik Gogoi has become a agent of change in the Naharkatia area of Dibrugarh district by bringing a revolution in the eco-tourism and farming sector.
He was the main architect of eco-tourism project in Sasoni Merbill. Merbill eco-tourism project is one of the biggest eco-tourism project in Assam.
“I’ve realised that Sanoni Merbill has a lot of potential to become an eco-tourism site. A public meeting was organised and I explained the villagers about the potential of Merbill. The villagers supported me and with the help of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund from OiL India Limited, Merbill was developed into a eco-tourism project. Many villagers were associated with the project and now many youths are employed in the eco-tourism project,” said Gogoi.
He said, “I firmly believe in ‘work culture’ and that only the ‘work culture’ can bring development in Assam. It has been seen that the youths are easily swayed away in unnecessary things. They should focus on their strength and take up farming as a profession to become self -employed.”