Govt faces uphill task as number of jobless soars

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 10

Unemployment is increasing at an alarming rate in Uttarakhand. Over eight lakh youth are jobless in the state, according to the latest data from the unemployment exchanges across the state.

The BJP government that promised creation of new jobs during the recent Assembly elections faces an uphill task to create jobs for the educated youth of the state. A total of 8,98,043 youth are jobless, out of which 5,52,800 are men and 3,45,243 women.

The maximum number of unemployed youth (1,82,496) is registered in Dehradun. Significantly, more number of women are unemployed than men. The number of unemployed women stands at 94,582 and that of men 88,364.

The opposition Congress plans to raise the issue of unemployment at the forthcoming Assembly session in Gairsain.

“The BJP had promised creation of new jobs for the youth to curb migration, but the promise remains unfulfilled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his electioneering had also promised jobs. We will raise the issue in the House,” said Indira Hridayesh, Leader of the Opposition.

Significantly, all the political parties recognize that unemployment is the reason behind the large-scale migration of youth from the state. Yet, both the Congress and the BJP have failed to address the issue, when their governments were in power. Also both the Congress and the BJP used it as an electoral promise to lure the youth.