Mumbai, Aug 13 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Thursday claimed that while the ruling administration frequently boasts about sustaining strong economic and industrial growth despite global instability, official government figures presented in Parliament have severely challenged these claims.
According to data released on Monday by the Ministry of Statistics, job opportunities in India neither increased nor decreased over the past year. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) indicates that the domestic job market remains entirely stagnant, the party said.
The Thackeray camp, in an editorial in the party's mouthpiece, 'Saamana', said that the ministry's report reveals key indicators regarding the current state of employment in the country. The unemployment rate for the current quarter stands at 5.5 per cent, compared to 5.6 per cent a year ago. Salaried employees constituted 51.4 per cent in June, a slight movement from 51.2 per cent recorded the previous June. The proportion of female workers saw a negligible rise from 32 per cent to 32.7 per cent. Job opportunities in rural areas have continued to decline.
While government supporters argue that stable unemployment figures show resilience, critics highlight a deepening crisis among educated youth, said the editorial. It further added that India's graduate youth population has reached 6.30 crore, growing 13-fold over four decades, while unemployed graduates grew 16-fold in the same timeframe. Six out of every ten graduate youths are currently unemployed.
According to an Azim Premji University report, two out of every three unemployed youths hold a degree -- meaning they possess the qualifications but lack employment opportunities. Out of every 1, 000 job-seeking youths, only 12 secure permanent employment, said the editorial.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena argued that the Statistics Ministry’s figures directly contradict recent claims made by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who stated that the government created 1.7 crore new jobs annually over its 12-year tenure. The statistics also validate concerns raised recently by Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi during the "Chatron Ki Goonj" event in Prayagraj regarding youth unemployment.
The Thackeray camp claimed that the government, which boasts about a "five trillion" economy, has failed to create a single new job in the past year. The administration has failed to deliver on its promise of creating two crore jobs per year, leaving millions of qualified graduates facing uncertain futures.
"This is the "mirror" to the Modi government's economic policies, and it has been shown by one of their own ministries. The country's Home Minister, who suggests "fry pakodas if there is no job, " and the Prime Minister, who made a "Hello Friends" reel addressing the youth out of fear of protests at Jantar Mantar, need to take a look at themselves in this mirror, " it noted.