Haryana’s joblessness

EVEN as Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has claimed that prolonged delays in government recruitment have been addressed with the initiation of a policy for Group C and D jobs, his statement is not music to the ears of lakhs of jobless youth in the state, which has a high unemployment rate of 8.8 per cent. That a whopping 11.22 lakh candidates have applied for around 35,000 Group C vacancies announced under the new policy underscores the dire straits the job market is in. There are over 5.43 lakh registered unemployed people in the state, as per the latest figures, and the Periodic Labour Force Survey puts Haryana as second only to J&K on the list of states/UTs with high unemployment rates.

The desperation and frustration of educated youngsters fast crossing the age of eligibility for jobs — just around one lakh vacancies have been filled in the past decade, even as over 2 lakh posts are lying vacant in various departments — is leading to undesirable social outcomes. While 12 persons are reported to have committed suicide in this period due to lack of work opportunities, many others end up taking to crime or drugs.

This alarming situation is leading to scams such as ‘cash for jobs’ and paper leaks, which have become the bane of the beleaguered state. They further delay the process as recruitment gets embroiled in litigation. Even the private job sector has landed in legal trouble as the industry has challenged the rule enacted by the state last year that provides for those having state domicile 75 per cent quota in private jobs with a monthly salary of less than Rs 30,000. An effective remedy for the painful wait for jobs is urgently needed.

#Manohar Lal Khattar