On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off a Rozgar Mela, with 75,000 handed over letters across the country for various government jobs, at a time when unemployment remains a major concern and is set to figure in the elections to Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Back in the two states, only newbie Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has included job promises in its poll pitch in Gujarat, while in Himachal, it is one of the main narratives for all parties.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal first laid out the party’s detailed roadmap on the topic in Gujarat, beginning with addressing the problem of paper leaks in competitive exams for government jobs, to making a promise to provide 10 lakh jobs, and to provide jobs to all youths in the state in five years, at a public address in Bhavnagar in August this year. He also promised interim unemployment allowance for youths who did not get jobs.

Besides, Kejriwal announced a policy to provide 80 per cent reservation in private jobs for Gujarat domiciles.

Listing nearly two dozen paper leaks in government recruitment exams in Gujarat over the past five years, Kejriwal said in his Bhavnagar address, “I assure you that in December (2022), AAP will form the government, and in February (2023), the talati recruitment exam will be conducted. The results will be declared in April (2023) and successful candidates will be given postings the same month.”

Giving further details of the “recruitment calendar” for a year, Kejriwal said that TET 1 and 2 and TAT exams will be conducted in May 2023, with results in July. Teachers will be given an opportunity to choose their preferred posting district.

Vacant teaching posts will be filled by August 2023, said Kejriwal, with recruitment for sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors starting in November and their postings completed by December 2023.

“We will release a wait list for each (category of recruitment) that will be valid for a year, so that there are no vacancies. To-and-fro bus commute on the day of exams will be made free for those appearing in (government recruitment) exams. In private jobs, 80 per cent will have to be given to Gujarat’s youth… a law will be brought into that effect,” Kejriwal added.

As per the quarterly bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), while Gujarat had among the lowest rates of unemployment in urban areas, Himachal had among the highest.

Gujarat Congress hasn’t made any job promises so far, though in September, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing Congress booth workers in Ahmedabad at a ‘Parivartan Sankalp’ rally, made a slew of promises, including 10 lakh jobs for the state. Stating that employment can’t be provided by “few multimillionaire businesses”, and that small and medium enterprises form the backbone of job creation, he had said, “We will be fully focused on ensuring employment for Gujarat youths, and will give employment to 10 lakh youths.”

In its 2017 manifesto, the Congress had announced a monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000-4,000, depending on educational qualifications. In the elections, the BJP won 99 seats out of 182 — its lowest return since 1995, while the Congress won 77 seats, with two going to the Bharatiya Tribal Party, one to the NCP and the rest to independents.

This year’s assembly elections will be three-cornered, with AAP expected to contest all 182 seats. AIMIM is also planning to fight on some 45 seats.

CMIE’s monthly time series data shows that between January 2018 and September 2022, the state’s peak unemployment rate was in April 2020 (18.7 per cent). It stood at 1.6 per cent in September 2022.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP in Himachal wants state voters to believe there are enough jobs following the ‘double-engine’ development. But the Opposition is unimpressed.

As per government labour figures, up until March this year, there were 8 lakh youth who had registered themselves as unemployed. Several of them were college graduates with degrees in both technical and non-technical fields.

As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, unemployment rate in Himachal Pradesh varied from 8.6 per cent in July-Sept 2020 to 7.8 per cent in January-March 2021. But it rose sharply to 12.4 per cent between July and September 2021.

With horticulture being the state’s economic backbone, a majority of the workforce is involved in trade, storage and transport of apples. Another key form of employment is the service industry, since the state draws a large chunk of its income from tourism.

Between January and December 2021, 56 lakh tourists, both Indian and foreign, visited the state, nearly 75 per cent more than the Covid-marred 2020 season.

Between January and December 2021, 56 lakh tourists, both Indian and foreign, visited the state, nearly 75 per cent more than the Covid-marred 2020 season.

Himachal Chief Minister Jairam Thakur has repeatedly highlighted the appointments to official posts his government has been making. He has also emphasised schemes such as Mukhyamantri Swavalamban Yojana, under which new entrepreneurs reportedly received 35 per cent subsidy.

While it has taken suggestions and feedback from people, the BJP is yet to release a manifesto highlighting their policy on employment and job creation.

The Congress, though, has already promised it will set aside Rs 680 crore to promote start-ups in the state. Citizens with a start-up proposal will be given an interest-free Rs 10 crore corpus as seed money. This will incentivise people to set up new businesses, the party stated.

Ahead of the polls, the Congress has promised 5 lakh jobs in an effort to rally youth support. A Rozgar Sangharsh Yatra was taken out by party leaders to keep the issue of unemployment alive.

Although AAP is struggling in the state, it too has made employment promises. In line with promises by the other parties, AAP too has projected six lakh jobs for the state’s youth, with an interim Rs 3,000 allowance till a seeker lands a job, party officials earlier said.

(With inputs from agencies)