The high unemployment rate in the Bharatiya Janta Party-ruled Haryana reflected even in Union government surveys, has been a major weapon in the hands of the Opposition to attack the State government, and more so as the State goes to the polls in a few weeks from now.

But the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for the January-March quarter in FY24, shows that the unemployment rate among those above 15 years of age as per current weekly status in urban areas has more than halved to 4.1% from 8.8% since the corresponding quarter the year before, dropping below the national average of 6.7%.

Sharp contrast

This is in sharp contrast to the annual PLFS results for 2021-22 which showed that Haryana with an unemployment rate of 9% – more than double the national rate of 4.1%, had fared poorly compared to its neighbours including Uttar Pradesh (2.9%), Himachal Pradesh (4.0%), Rajasthan (4.7%) and Punjab (6.4%).

Attributing the high unemployment rate in FY22 in the State to the global post-Covid economic slowdown in sectors such as hospitality and civil aviation, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Rajesh Khullar told The Hindu that job creation, both in the public and private sector, had been the Government’s top priority. He said the government was on a “job offering spree” in the past few months to fill government posts.

“Around 30,000 regular government jobs, including in Group C and D, have been filled this year so far with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini handing over appointment letters to 7,500 Trained Graduate Teachers on July 30. The government aims to give 50,000 regular jobs before the Assembly polls on October 5, but some of these appointments have been delayed as the Model Code of Conduct came into force on August 16.

‘Mission 60,000’

His predecessor Manohar Lal had in January announced “Mission 60,000” for youth employment for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families by engaging them as “Van Mitras”, “E-Sewa Mitras” and “Kisan Mitras” and imparting training to 10,000 youth to become contractors,” said Mr. Khullar.

Read: After furore over CMIE data, govt. figures show Haryana sliding on unemployment

The proposed manufacturing plants of Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motorcycle at Industrial Model Township at Kharkhoda in Sonipat district to be commissioned next year are likely to generate around 15,000 direct jobs, he said, adding these efforts by the government are getting reflected in the recent job survey reports.

Dismissing official job statistics as mere “jugglery of data”, Naveen Jaihind, president of Jai Hind Sena, a social organisation said not enough government jobs have been filled in the past few years. Protesting in a unique way against unemployment in the agrarian State, Mr. Jaihind, led a “Berozgaro Ki Baraat (Wedding Procession of Unemployed)” in Rohtak in January last year, to highlight the socio-economic implications of high unemployment among the youth.

Mr. Jaihind, who is also former Haryana AAP president, said the State’s skewed sex ratio, coupled with high unemployment rate had led to rising number of young men forced to remain single in rural Haryana pushing them into drug-addiction and crime. A resident of Rohtak’s Meham, Shankar Dayal Sharma, a Masters in Physiotherapy, said though every hospital and health care centre needs a physiotherapist, the government had advertised only eight vacancies a decade ago. Working part-time at a nearby clinic for a paltry ₹9,000 per month, Mr. Sharma, 30, said he was tired of waiting for a physiotherapist’s job and was ready work a Group-D job with the Government if opportunity arose. “A couple of relatives are teaching at private schools. They hold PhD degrees. Yet they are willing to work Group-D jobs because the government has failed to offer them jobs as per their qualifications,” Mr. Sharma said.

Two-time Congress Chief Minister and Opposition Leader, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, critical of the Government’s efforts in jobs creation said it is instead sending workers to warn-torn Israel. Mr. Khattar’s government facilitated 10,000 people to be recruited in Israel’s construction sector amid a labour shortage there. He said the Government has not filled more than two lakh posts across departments, and is instead recruiting non-Haryanvi residents to higher positions. 

‘Going abroad’

A Jind-based travel agent, seeking anonymity, spoke of a growing trend among youth from Haryana’s districts bordering Punjab emigrating legally or illegally for some years now, looking for better opportunities. “Government jobs still remain the top preference for the youth as they look for stability. But there have not been enough appointments in the past few years, more so under the present Government. The youth have begun going abroad. They are inspired by their friends who have gone abroad and who present a rosy picture of their lives on social media,” said the agent.

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Former general-secretary, Manesar Industries Welfare Association, Manmohan Gaind, said there is huge demand for a skilled workforce. But the government’s programmes to impart skills had failed to produce the workforce with the desired skills. He said the government must incentivise industry to impart skills to the youth by bearing the entire expenses for their training. He also demanded that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) be treated on par with the agriculture sector and be offered credit at 4-5% interest rate. “While the government may have to waive credit to farmers, MSMEs repay every single penny to the banks and also generate jobs. Though home loan is available at 8% interest rate, MSMEs borrow at 10-11% rate to buy a machine for their expansion,” complained Mr. Gaind, Chief Executive Officer, M. M. Creations, which makes couture clothing and home furnishings.