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Educated, but jobless

The youth today is politically far more enlightened and aware and least bothered about the narrow considerations of caste, region or religion, when it comes to making his or her choice while casting vote.

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Pratibha Chauhan

The youth today is politically far more enlightened and aware and least bothered about the narrow considerations of caste, region or religion, when it comes to making his or her choice while casting vote.

These caste and regional considerations which determined the fate of contesting candidates in elections till recent times in Himachal polls seem to have been relegated to the background with good governance, ample employment avenues and development being the prime concern of today’s youth.

There is mounting frustration and indignation among the youth against both the BJP and Congress regimes for failing to generate enough jobs, be it in the government or private sector. The very fact that the number of registered unemployed youth in the government employment exchanges all over the state has touched 8.49 lakh by December 2018 is an indication of the growing problem.

A total of 1,37,662 new applicants got themselves registered in the employment exchanges all over the state in 2018. As such, the number of registered unemployed touched 8,49, 981. As per the Economic Survey, 1,953 placements were done in the government sector and 4,788 in the private sector.

The situation with regard to employment is so grim that there are thousands of applicants even if 20 posts are advertised. The situation is no different, when it comes to police or Army recruitment as thousands turn up for those few posts.

What is even more worrisome is that not enough efforts seem to have been made in this direction by the two main political players. “The assurances by the two parties of creating employment avenues at the time of elections prove to be hollow when it comes to honouring their commitment after assuming power,” says Net Ram, a post-graduate from Kullu. He, like many of his friends, is tired of applying for jobs, with the ratio of applicants and the number of posts being completely mismatched, resulting in frustration.

The rising unemployment and a general feeling of resentment and indignation among the educated youth is too palpable with jobs getting more and more scarce. While those with high professional qualification move out of the state to work in the corporate sector, it is those who have completed their graduation, post graduation or higher secondary, who are the most frustrated with hardly any jobs within the state.

‘Attracting big investment only solution’ 

The BJP governments at Centre and state have tried their best to create more employment avenues. In Himachal, there is very limited scope for jobs in the government sector, so the only option that we have is to attract big investment. The government has tried to do so and has even enhanced the 70 per cent mandatory condition of employing Himachalis in industrial units from 70 to 80 per cent. A Global Investors’ Meet has been planned for June in Dharamsala to woo even foreign investors. Another area which can address the issue of unemployment is tourism. There is a lot of scope in this sector in every part of the state. There is immense scope for Buddhist-tribal, eco, adventure, pilgrim tourism in the state, which still remains untapped. The need of the hour is to change the mindset of people to not look for only government jobs only. We have filled up all vacancies in government departments and are regularising daily wagers, contractual employees, but people will have to look for jobs in private sector.  

Satpal Singh Satti, State BJP president

‘Issue can lead to law and order problem’ 

The issue of unemployment remains the number one poll plank. It is a problem which affects every family as educated youth are frustrated and very angry over the dismal unemployment scenario. I took out two Pad Yatras on the issue while we were in power. I have no qualms in admitting that both Congress and BJP regime have miserably failed in Himachal to find a solution to the problem. If unaddressed, the issue can lead to a major law and order problem which will then get out of hand. Though we are talking of attracting big investments in Himachal, the past experience has clearly proved that in the absence of quality infrastructure, no big corporate house is willing to invest in Himachal. Nobody wants to take the risk of dumping their money with no tangible results in sight. So, we have to first improve our infrastructure whether it pertains to roads, air and rail connectivity or simple clearances. Another area where we need to work is to reduce the retirement age of employees rather than enhancing it. We need to look for practical solutions to addressing it as 10 lakh jobless in a population of 74 lakh is a serious issue. 

GS Bali, Former Transport and Civil Supplies Minister 

Political issue

The issue of unemployment has been a very sensitive issue with the youth. Realising this, job creation remains the highlight of election manifesto of both the BJP and the Congress. As per the latest electoral rolls, the percentage of 18 to 19 years voters in Himachal is 1.67 per cent. Besides, the percentage of 20-29 age group, which is the main job seeker group, is pegged at 18.43 per cent. These two categories of youngsters put together constitute a sizeable chunk of the electorate at 20.10 per cent. The other category of 30 to 39 years voters constitutes a sizeable group with a percentage of 22.85 per cent. Even in this category,  there are many youth who are still seeking jobs so the voters in the age group of 18 to 40 years is a huge 42.95 per cent, which obviously makes them very important in the perspective of elections. As such no political party, keen to win the elections,  can afford to ignore the issues concerning them.

2012 poll promises

CONGRESS: It was Congress which prior to the 2012 Assembly elections made the promise of providing Unemployment Allowance to youth if voted to power. The Congress emerged victorious on this one single promise though it was only towards the end of its term that it honoured the commitment of providing unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 per month and Rs 1,500 to physically challenged. Sensing the potential that the youth have in overthrowing governments, the Congress prominently made this promise at page 13 of its election manifesto under the head “Skill Development before the 2012 poll.” It even promised the setting up of a Skill Developement Corporation with an investment of Rs 500 crore to tackle the problem of unemployment. Congress also promised to include skill training along with other subjects as part of school curriculum.

BJP: The Bharatiya Janata Party on the other hand also gave importance to the issue of youth welfare and employment generation in its Vision Document in 2012 poll. It was highlighted on page number 8 as point 7.4. The BJP which was in power then went into the poll on the promise of creating 10 lakh jobs in five years including self-employment. It also promised filing up of all vacancies in the government sector, but the Congress’ promise of providing unemployment allowance seems to have clinched with voters.

2017 poll promises 

BJP: Again in the 2017 Assembly elections, the issue of unemployment remained in the centre stage. BJP in its Vision Document 2017 promised to give wings to the dreams of the youth by making provision for internship and fellowship for youth in public offices. It also promised to train 50,000 youth every year in English speaking, so as to enhance their employability. BJP also promised that it will start “Hello Himachal” named BPO scheme, where financial help would be given to set up rural BPOs. It also promised to make Himachal, a start-up hub by providing training and start-up fund to the youth.

CONGRESS: Congress in its election manifesto promised that it would provide jobs to 1.50 lakh youth in various government departments and public sector undertakings. It also tried to woo the youth by enhancing the Unemployment Allowance from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 for general and Rs 2,000 for the physically challenged. In a desperate bid to win over the youth, Congress even went to the extent of promising that it will form a policy, where salaries, emoluments, and other job security for those engaged in private sector would have to be made on a par with the government sector.

SOLUTIONS

The irony is that Himachal Pradesh which boasts of high literacy levels, second only to Kerala is grappling with the problem of unemployment. No doubt this is a national phenomena across the country, but what make the situation more appalling in the hill state is the near absence of private sector. Moreover, there is very little industrialisation and that, too, is confined to the fringes in the districts bordering Punjab and Haryana:

Tourism promotion

  • The failure of the successive governments to give fillip to tourism in a big sway has prevented creation of jobs in the interior parts of the state. The benefits of rural tourism and home stay schemes meant to provide jobs to the skilled youth has not been able to evolve and grow in a big way. The main reason behind this is the absence or very poor infrastructure in the form of reliable air connectivity, very poor rail link and dismal condition of roads, on which 95 per cent of the population is dependent.
  • Jobs for youth can be created by promoting adventure, eco and water sports in various parts of the state so that the benefits reach out even to the interior and remote parts of the state.

Thrust on vocational training

The government has set up Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) all over the state so that youth can acquire vocational training to help them get jobs or set up their own self-employment avenues. Provision of providing them soft loans for setting up their own ventures has been made.

Skill development

  • During the financial year 2018-19, the state government made a budgetary provision of Rs 40 crore for the Unemployment Allowance Scheme, started by the previous Congress regime. Under this scheme, there is a provision of providing allowance to the eligible educated jobless Himachali youth to help them get equipped with vocational and skilled training to make themselves employable.
  • A budgetary allowance of Rs 100 crore was made during 2018-19 financial year under Skill Development Allowance Scheme, started by the BJP regime. Besides this, a provision was made to provide Rs 1,000 per month allowance to the eligible and Rs 1,500 per month to persons with 50 per cent or more physically challenged. This allowance is given for a maximum period of two years.
  • Many youth have benefitted by acquiring vocational training but the absence of jobs within the state, leave no option for them but to move out. Though efforts are on to partner with industry so that training can be imparted as per the industry needs.

Industrialisation in interior parts

  • Almost 80 per cent of the industry in the state is concentrated in a few industrial hubs of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh, Kala Amb and Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur, Mehatpur and Tahliwal in Una and Sansarpur Terrace in Kangra. These areas, due to their locational advantage of sharing a boundary with Punjab and Haryana, have better connectivity.
  • However, a sore point with the youth of the state is that they are preferred for only labour and lower rung posts, while outsiders are preferred for senior positions. The present regime has even enhanced the condition of engaging Himachali youth in factories and industrial units from the earlier 70 per cent to 80 per cent. However, time and again questions are raised about this condition as very often records are fudged by industrial units to show compliance of this condition.
  • The setting up of hydro-power plants and cement plants have also helped in creating some direct and indirect employment, but then this is very scattered and at only a few places. Till the government promotes cottage and small industrial units using locally produced material, the problem of unemployment would remain.
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