Cong promises ‘rozgar revolution’

The Congress on Thursday promised a “rozgar revolution” in the country, saying it is committed to ensuring justice to youths by offering them a guarantee of employment if it comes to power in the Lok Sabha elections.
In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge listed five guarantees for youths and termed them “yuva nyay”. These included filling of government vacancies, apprenticeships, freedom from government recruitment exam paper leaks, social security for gig workers and a startup fund for youths.
If the Congress forms government in 2024, a new “rozgar (employment) revolution” will begin by providing “employment guarantee” to the youth of the nation, Kharge said.
In his post on X in Hindi addressed to the youth, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “We are going to provide ‘assured first job’ of Rs 1 lakh per year. This historic plan of ours is a forever cure for the disease of unemployment.”
By enacting the “Right to Apprentice Act”, the Congress government will give every graduate and diploma holder below 25 years of age an opportunity of a one-year apprenticeship in a government or private institution, for which an annual stipend of Rs 1 lakh will be given, he said.
“The one-year professional working experience is a strike at the root of the problem of unemployment. You will not only have your first job, but will also have the opportunity to pursue the same job after a year,” the former Congress chief said.
This “revolutionary scheme” will change the face of the Indian industry and the destiny of the youth by ending the skill gap between the industry and workforce, he said and added that this is not just a one-year job, “it is the door to your assured bright future”.
Sharing details of the five guarantees to the youth, Gandhi in another post said, “It is the resolve of the Congress to make the dreams of the youth a reality.”
In a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which completed its 54th day on Thursday, Gandhi, highlighting the guarantees, asserted that his party will provide the right to employment and right to apprenticeship. Kharge was also present at the event.
In his post, the Congress president said, “We guarantee ‘bharti bharosa’ (guarantee of employment) to all youths of the country.”
The around 30 lakh vacant posts in the central government will be filled and a time-line will be decided from examination to recruitment, he said.
Sharing another guarantee “pehle naukri pakki” (first job guaranteed), Kharge said even after having a degree, every second youth is unemployed because they do not have a proper apprenticeship training.
“The Congress guarantees that by bringing a new ‘right to apprenticeship’ law… we will provide apprenticeship training to every diploma or degree holder below 25 years of age in the government or private sectors. All apprentices will be given an assistance of Rs 1 lakh a year that is Rs 8,500 a month,” he said.
Talking about the guarantee of “freedom from paper leaks”, he said the situation in the country is such that for years there is no recruitment. If there is one, the exam does not happen, and if there is an exam, the paper gets leaked, Kharge alleged.
“Just imagine, our youth from villages and small towns come to cities to study. Their parents spend their entire life savings to get them a government job. Therefore, the Congress guarantees that we will put a full stop on paper peaks by bringing a new law. Will ensure that all examinations are conducted in a fair manner. The years of hardwork of our youth should not go in vain,” he said sharing the “paper leak se mukti guarantee”.
The Congress chief also assured social security for gig workers such as truck drives, delivery boys, carpenters and mechanics.
Rahul Gandhi met many of them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, and he “shared their sorrows and pains, listened to their problems”, he said.
“What problems they face, how low their salaries are, he heard and understood all these things. We understand the difficult conditions in which they are working in cities miles away from their villages,” Kharge said. The previous Congress government of Rajasthan had brought a social security law for the welfare of all gig workers, he said.
“The Congress guarantees that we will bring a new law for social security and working conditions in the gig economy,” he said, adding that crores of such youth who are supporting themselves and their families by working informally in the gig economy will be benefitted.
Under “Yuva Roshini”, he said a fund will be created with an amount of Rs 5,000 crore. This will be distributed in all districts of the country, Kharge said.
The Congress guarantees that this fund will be given to people below 40 years of age to start their own business, a startup, and all these businesses will create lakhs of jobs for the youth, the Congress chief said.
The Congress also shared the five “Yuva Nyay” guarantees on its account on X, saying the youth with the apprenticeship training and stipend will step into a career with confidence. New laws will be made to ensure better working conditions and social security, it said.
It also said that the Congress guarantees new laws to ensure the highest standards of integrity and fairness in the conduct of public examinations. These will prevent paper leaks from destroying the future of crores of youngsters, the party said.