Congress Promises to Give One Job Per Family in Punjab. But How?
By Rakesh Raman
While the employment situation in India is so bad that the country is standing on the brink of a social unrest, the Punjab Congress has promised to give one job per family if the party is voted to power in the upcoming election.
Top Congress leader and former chief minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh said that upon forming the government in Punjab, one job per family will be provided to unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years.
“Till such employment is provided, they will be given an unemployment allowance of Rs. 2500 per month (up to 36 months),” Amarinder Singh promised.
[ Unemployment to Cause Unrest in India: Pranab Mukherjee ]
However, Amarinder Singh did not explain how the employment will be generated in a state which is facing serious economic crisis.
He also did not promise to provide better education to the youth of Punjab so they could stand on their own feet and earn their livelihood instead of living on government dole.
“In return, I want you to promise me, that you will take the responsibility of keeping yourself and your family, drug-free; so all of us together can make Punjab a drug-free state,” Amarinder Singh told the jobless youth of Punjab.
[ Also Visit: Save Punjab – Punjab Election News 2017 ]
Called Har Ghar ton Ikk Captain (HGC), the scheme is stated to be Amarinder Singh’s flagship program for empowering the youth of Punjab with the twin objective of providing them jobs and making them commit to staying drug free.
However, this sounds like one of those promises that politicians usually make before the elections to hoodwink the voters. When they are elected, these politicians forget about all such promises and poor people start waiting for next election with the hope to see a positive change.
Assembly election is expected to be held in Punjab in 2017. At present Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance has a majority in the 117-seat Vidhan Sabha. The government is headed by CM Parkash Singh Badal.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a government award-winning journalist and social scientist. You also can visit the REAL VOTER – Politics in India Information Center that he manages.
Photo courtesy: Punjab Congress
