Govt fails to provide jobs, unemployment allowance

Bathinda, May 22

Despite a hue and cry over the rising unemployment in the state, the state government has not only failed to provide employment to youths but has also failed to disburse the unemployment allowance to those registered with unemployment centres.

As per information obtained through the RTI Act by the AAP’s RTI wing of Bathinda, the District Employment Office, Mansa, had provided employment to only 37 people since 2002 and had disbursed unemployment allowance to only three people from April 2015 to March 31, 2016, puting a question mark over the state government’s employment promises. Under the Punjab Payment of Unemployment Allowance to Educated Unemployed Persons Rules, 1978, Rs 150 is provided as monthly allowance to a matric unemployed who is registered for over three years and Rs 200 to a post-matric unemployed. For orthopaedically handicapped, this amount has been fixed as Rs 225 and Rs 300, respectively.

For blind and deaf and dumb, the amount of allowance is Rs 450 and Rs 600, respectively. However, the SAD-BJP alliance had promised Rs 1,000 unemployment allowance to educated the youth in its manifesto of 2012. AAP Bathinda Lok Sabha observer Romi Bhati said, “The employment office of Mansa has failed to provide employment to unemployed youths. There are about 7,000 unemployed youths registered with the office. However, the department has provided jobs to only 37 youths from 2002 to 2016, whereas only three unemployed people have been given the unemployment allowance. Earlier in 2012, the government had announced to increase the allowance to Rs 1,000 per unemployed youth but now the cash-strapped government has failed to keep its words.” He added, “All figures have been obtained under the RTI Act. The condition of all other districts of Punjab is almost the same where unemployment among youths is rising. The government has not only failed to provide them employment but has also failed to disburse the allowance to them.” — TNS.