Congress Slams Modi Government On Job Crisis, Shares Its Own "Paanch Nyay Pachees Guarantees"
Following the release of the India Employment Report 2024 by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute for Human Development (IHD), the Congress launched a scathing critique aimed at the Modi government over the job crisis in the country.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised alarm over the revelations of the report regarding India”s labour market during what he termed as the “Anyay Kaal” (Era of Injustice) of the last decade.
In a strongly-worded statement, Ramesh highlighted the failure of the Modi government to generate ample employment opportunities, expand apprenticeship programs, bolster wages, and facilitate the entry of young women into the workforce.
According to the report, despite an annual surge of 70-80 lakh youths entering the labor force between 2012 and 2019, employment growth stagnated at a mere 0.01 percent. Both urban (17.2 per cent) and rural (10.6 per cent) youth faced high unemployment rates, with urban female unemployment reaching an alarming 21.6 percent.
A significant portion of graduate degree holders (29.1 per cent) are unemployed, Ramesh said, pointing out that just 20 per cent of the 1,25,000 establishments registered on the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme portal offer apprenticeships.
Ramesh demanded attention towards a decline in real wages for regular workers over the past decade, aggravated by unchecked inflation, rendering workers financially worse off than they were 10 years ago. He criticized the non-enforcement of minimum wage laws, resulting in a large section of unskilled agricultural workers receiving wages below the legally mandated minimum.
Ramesh condemned the government”s failure to empower young women, noting that despite advancements in various sectors, nearly half of India”s young women remain disengaged from productive employment, education, or training.
As per the report, Ramesh highlighted a concerning trend under the Modi government, wherein the percentage of low-paying informal-sector employment lacking social security increased, while formal employment experienced a decline from 10.5 percent to 9.7 percent between 2019 and 2022.
Ramesh said that there has been an unexpected surge in the agricultural workforce, contrary to the global trend of economic modernization. “For the first time in decades, under Modi’s mismanagement, the absolute number of workers in agriculture is increasing,” he said, adding, “This goes against the very basic concept of economic modernisation, which every developed country has gone through.”
This shift from factories to farms has led to a rise in the agricultural sector”s share of total employment, climbing from 42 percent to 45.4 percent from 2019 to 2022.
In response to these critical issues, the Congress has introduced a comprehensive plan of action called the “Paanch Nyay Pachees Guarantees.” This initiative aims to tackle unemployment, stagnant wages, and low female labor force participation. The party has proposed schemes such as “Bharti Bharosa,” “Pehli Naukri Pakki,” “Yuva Roshni,” and “Shehri Rozgar Guarantee” to stimulate job creation, provide training, and foster entrepreneurship among the youth.
Under the “Bharti Bharosa” scheme, the Congress promises to create 30 lakh jobs, and fill all vacancies. The “Pehli Naukri Pakki” scheme guarantees paid, one-year jobs to all graduates and diploma holders to facilitate on-the-job training. The “Yuva Roshni” scheme pledges a Rs 5,000 crore start-up fund to support youth entrepreneurship, while the “Shehri Rozgar Guarantee” aims to enact an employment guarantee Act for urban areas, focusing on public infrastructure development, climate change resilience, and social services improvement.
To address the issue of stagnant wages, the Congress has proposed schemes such as “Shram ka Samman,” advocating for a national Rs 400 minimum wage, including for MGNREGA workers.
“Shakti ka Samman” promises to double the pay for ASHA, Anganwadi, and MDM workers, while “Gig economy me Samajik Suraksha” aims to enhance working conditions and social security for gig workers.
To boost women”s labour force participation, the Congress proposes initiatives such as “Aadhi Aabadi, Poora Haq,” which reserves 50 percent of new central government jobs for women, and “Savitri Bai Phule Hostels,” which seeks to double the number of working women hostels across the country.
