Cloud over Vasundhara Raje’s job creation claims

Jaipur: While presenting the last  budget of her present tenure, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia announced hiring for  one lakh government posts. The chief minister promised that the recruitment will be completed before the Assembly election which is slated in the first week of December.

However, given the track record there were apprehensions about her promise.  How could a government fill up 1.08 lakh posts in less than nine months, which has struggled to fill up 1.69 lakh jobs in first four years?  

On the contrary, the chief minister claimed in her budget speech that 12 lakh youths have been provided job opportunities through skill development and nearly one lakh government jobs were given. Interestingly, this is deviation from the claim she made on the third anniversary of her government. “Of the 15 lakh jobs promised in the manifesto, we have already provided 11 lakh jobs - one lakh government jobs and 10 lakh in the private sector,” she had said in December 2016.

The Congress was quick to spot the contradiction as providing job is not same as providing skills. “Where are these jobs? The government should release a white paper about number of employment provided in last four years,” said congress spokesperson, Dr Archna Sharma.   Even senior BJP legislator Ghanshyam Tiwari rubbished the government's claim. According to him, recruitment processes for over 1.50 lakh posts in different departments were caught up at various courts due to government's fault. Tiwari, a former law and education minster in Raje government and her vocal critics claimed that by giving many schools and hospitals on PPP mode, about 60,000 government jobs have been abolished.

Echoing Mr Tiwari's allegation, Tej Singh Rathore alleged that the present government has been of abolishing existing posts in different government departments while there is complete ban on new recruitment in corporations.

Besides, if the government was regularly filling up vacancies where the need was for increasing age limit to government jobs. While announcing age relaxation labour and employment Minister Dr Jaswant Yadav confessed, "Due to litigation and many other factors, the state's youth have become over aged and cannot apply for government jobs. The government wants to give them a chance"  

An estimated 21 lakh youth who applied for government jobs in various departments but even after five years they have been waiting either for examination to be held or announcement of results. For example, even after five years more than 10000 candidates who applied for the job of LDC in panchayati raj department are still waiting for appointment letter.  

In a double whammy to the unemployed youths, the government has collected `428 crore in fees from the unemployed youth who applied for these posts, Mr Tiwari alleged.

Not surprisingly, a few days ago hundreds of unemployed men set up a pakoda stall under the banner Unemployed Youth United Front of Rajasthan to protest against the Rajasthan Public Service Commission's delay in announcing of results of various recruitment exams as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah’s statement that selling pakoda is gainful employment.

“BJP leaders have insulted educated unemployed youths like us,” said state president of Berojgar Ekikrat Mahasangh, Upen Yadav of Alwar, who is waiting for result of teachers’ recruitment exam.

"We had supported BJP in the last elections hoping that the party would provide us jobs as promised. Now, we find ourselves cheated," said Suresh Meel of Churu.

Throwing numbers at political opponents to win the argument is one thing but convincing the millions of youths waiting for job is different, he said.

Poor record

• 10,000 candidates waiting appointment in Panchayati Raj since 2013
• Second grade teachers’ recruitment exam not announced even after two years
• The dates for sub-inspector recruitment 2016 exams have not been finalised
• RPSC is still to announce dates for RAS 2017 examination
• The reshuffle and waiting lists of lecturers’ recruitment 2015 and junior accountant 2013 are still pending
• Only 123 out of 1,248 posts of college lecturers 2014 filled after four years