1.5 million sign for Congress' job scheme in poll-bound Punjab

The party aims to reach around four million households with the offer

The Congress’ promise of providing one job per family if the party is voted to power in Punjab seems to be attracting youth across the poll-bound state.
 

Till Friday, around 1.57 million youth between 18 and 35 years of age had signed for the ‘Har Ghar Ton Ek Captain’ scheme launched 10 days ago by Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh. As many as 77.4 per cent of the respondents are from rural areas.

Party managers say women have also come in large numbers to register or to name a male member of their family. About a third of the respondents are female. General category respondents are 71.5 per cent and scheduled castes the rest.

With Assembly polls likely in February, the Congress has launched a major campaign and aims to reach around four million households with the offer.

The Congress has found a novel way of addressing the two major concerns among voters in poll-bound Punjab, unemployment and drug use, by seeking a pledge from the job seekers that they, as well their family members, would remain drug-free. Under the plan, youth between 18 and 35 years will be given jobs spread over a five-year period, for which around Rs 10,000 crore will be budgeted if the party is voted to power.

Knowing the scheme would be difficult to implement, the party managers have provisioned an unemployment allowance of Rs 2,500 a month to the respondents for a maximum of 36 months. This would be done through an identity card to be provided to youth, starting within 100 days of government formation.

In return, the youth and their family must pledge to stay drug-free. Strategist Prashant Kishor’s team has trained Congress workers involved for the state-wide registrations, at places like bus stands and markets. Also, 40-odd vehicles are said to be covering two-three villages a day.

Amarinder had earlier vowed to end the drug menace in 100 days. About 300,000 households in Punjab are said to have no earning member. The unemployment rate among women (19 per cent) is more than double the rest of India (7.7 per cent). Almost 72 per cent of job seekers in Punjab are educated, of which 22 per cent are technically qualified personnel.

In 2012, the ruling Akali Dal had promised to create a million jobs. However, till 2015, they were able to place only 36,000 youth.