At a time when assembly elections are round the corner in Uttarakhand, the rising unemployment in the hill state is compounding the worries of the ruling BJP, which is already in trouble due to the anti-incumbency factor coupled with a series of corruption scandals.
According to official data, there are nearly 5,80,000 unemployed youths, who hold the key to the next assembly elections in the hill state with a total population of nearly ten million. “If we manage to provide them jobs, we will surely win the elections. Otherwise it will be very difficult for us to overcome the malaise of anti-incumbency," said a top BJP leader.
A plan has already been chalked out where nearly 1,00,000 new jobs will be created to win the confidence of these youths. Since the margin of victory between Congress and BJP remains less than 3 per cent in all the previous two elections, the voting by these youths will be crucial.
Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank is shortly expected to make a crucial announcement of fulfiling the promise of new jobs. Nishank had promised that he would create new jobs including 33,700 openings in government sector and the remaining 50,000 in the private sector.
Out of 33,700 government jobs, nearly 12,000 vacancies will be created for class-III employees and 4000 in police department. Besides, the government would recruit 4000 teachers and 490 instructors in various ITIs.
In addition to this, the government would also provide a special incentive of Rs 10,000 for the marriage of all girls in the below poverty line category.With barely 4-5 months left for the elections, the worries for BJP are increasing. Top party leaders have already approached Nishank urging him to provide jobs to the unemployed youths. "If we sincerely want to win the elections, we must target the youths," said veteran BJP leader and former chief minister B S Koshiyari.