Ashok Gehlot raises unemployment allowance for youth in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: On a day it won an Assembly bypoll, the Congress government on Thursday in Rajasthan announced the rollout of its second major electoral sop — an unemployment allowance for educated youngsters of Rajasthan — from March 1. 

According to the announcement made by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, while speaking at an event in Rajasthan University, under the scheme, girls will get `3,500 per month while boys will get `3,000. The allowances was one of the big-ticket promises the party had made in the run up to the December Assembly elections in the state.  

“We are fulfilling the promise made by Rahul Gandhiji. This was `600 before which was also started by me in my previous tenure as the Chief Minister...” said Gehlot.

According to the National Career Services, an initiative under the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, the total number of job seekers registered is 8,57,316 from Rajasthan, as of March 31, 2018 .The unemployment rate in Rajasthan in November 2018 was 12.3%  against the national average of 6.62%. After Thursday’s announcement, more unemployed youngsters are expected to register.

“This is a political stunt for the Lok Sabha election. Youth and farmers are being misled. They have given no clear plan on how they will fulfil these announcements given the debt. People... will show them ...” Mukesh Pareek, BJP spokesperson said.