Prioritise job creation

Bhupinder Singh Hooda

Former CM, Haryana

THE TRIBUNE DEBATE HARYANA'S PROGRESS

HARYANA became a state on November 1, 1966; it faced numerous challenges due to limited resources and minimal development. Despite these constraints, Haryana has made significant progress over the past 57 years, thanks to its location and the hard work of its people. However, in the last decade, economic growth has slowed down and employment generation has not kept pace with growth. The state government’s policy discourse does not prioritise employment creation; several changes in the labour market, among other factors, have contributed to a dismal situation. The problem is not employment but, instead, unemployment. It is easier to create employment than to eradicate unemployment.

Latest data from the National Sample Survey Office shows that Haryana has the worst unemployment rate in the country, second only to that of Kerala.

Rather than making a serious effort to tackle unemployment, political gimmickry was employed. The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020, was enacted with the aim of providing 75 per cent reservation to locals in private sector jobs. However, despite the Act being in place, not even a single job has been provided. Furthermore, its legality and constitutionality were challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which renders it ineffective in achieving its intended purpose.

The unemployment distress is widespread and affects countless youths of Haryana. This situation is a cause for concern as it can lead to negative consequences. Long-term unemployment can have a lifelong negative impact on the employment and earning prospects of young individuals and lead to an overall deterioration in well-being. It can erode human and social capital, posing a threat to the societal fabric of the state, as currently evident in the drug menace and overall crime. Unemployment leads to anger and frustration among the youth and some of them have died by suicide. In search of jobs, many migrate illegally to other countries, risking their lives.

Latest data from the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) shows that Haryana has the worst unemployment rate in the country, second only to that of Kerala. From July 2022 to June 2023, the state’s unemployment rate in the age group of 15 to 29 years was 17.5 per cent. In 2013-14, when the Congress was in power, the rate was just 2.5 per cent. The rate has increased sevenfold in the past nine years and is higher than even of states such as Bihar and Jharkhand.

Data compiled by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) reveals that the unemployment rate in Haryana is 37.4 per cent. However, the state government might not accept these figures and instead dismiss them as the work of a private agency. Ironically, the government can deny this fact and manipulate data as per its political convenience. This is perhaps the easiest way to avoid the guilt of inaction and failure. As a result, the unemployment rate is not taken as a crucial input during policymaking by the government.

Every year, an average of 1.7 lakh young people register themselves at various employment exchanges in the state, and more than 14 lakh unemployed youths have registered with employment exchanges from 2015 to 2022.

It is disheartening that highly educated youths are forced to take up menial Group D jobs like those of peon and sewadar, like farmers indulging in distress sale of their produce. This is a cruel joke on them. The government’s claim that these recruitments were based on merit only adds insult to the injury of the affected youths.

Around 50 per cent of the state’s population relies on agriculture and allied activities for a livelihood. The scope for employment in the agriculture sector is yet to be enhanced. Therefore, a large proportion of the workforce engaged directly in agriculture does not earn a decent livelihood, pushing up unemployment.

In Haryana, government jobs have become a mirage for the youth. The Human Resource Management System shows that various state departments have 2,02,576 permanent government posts vacant, including more than 60,000 Group C and D posts.

The government needs to consider the unemployment rate as a critical factor in policymaking. The shortage of staff in schools, offices and hospitals is negatively impacting the availability of essential services to the public. Recruitment agencies of the government, such as the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC), are currently embroiled in cash-for-jobs scandals. These agencies have experienced multiple instances of paper leaks.

The selection process for thousands of different positions has been cancelled, leaving over 27 lakh applicants waiting for two to nine years. Other selections have also been withheld or cancelled. Every year, there is an average increase of 2.5 lakh in the number of job seekers, and about a lakh of them become ineligible due to overage and slow selections. Unemployed youths also face difficulties registering on the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam website, which frequently malfunctions. Many employees working on contract or on ad hoc positions face an uncertain future.

The government is unwilling to fill the vast number of vacancies, creating a vicious cycle of unemployment. To break this cycle, the government must implement sincere, sympathetic and serious policy interventions. Undertaking frivolous and populist measures will not suffice. There are thousands of unemployed and distressed youths who need employment and a decent life, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a priority for the present government.

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