PM's recruitment drive as Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat polls near

The Opposition has criticised the Modi government for its failure to meet its promise of generating lakhs of jobs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 'Rozgar Mela', a drive to recruit 10 lakh people by the end of 2023, on Saturday via videoconference and appointment letters will be distributed to 75,000 candidates in 25 states during the event, the PMO said on Thursday. Several Union ministers will join in from across the country, with the BJP touting it as Modi's "Diwali gift" to the country's youth.

The October 22 event comes with the BJP-ruled Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat voting to elect new legislative assemblies in November and December and the increasing joblessness in the country a key plank of opposition parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, in his election campaigning in Gujarat, have criticised the Modi government for its failure to meet its promise of generating lakhs of jobs.

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On June 14, the PM tweeted that he reviewed the status of human resources in all departments and ministries and instructed that recruitment of 10 lakh people should be done by the Union government "in a mission mode in the next 1.5 years". According to official data, of the Union government's over 40 lakh employee strength, there are nearly 9 lakh vacancies. Joblessness peaked during the first Covid-19 year of 2020 at 23.5 per cent. The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) estimated joblessness at 8.3 per cent in August, increasing from 6.8 per cent in July.

Thursday's PMO statement said the recruits would join 38 ministries/ departments of the Union government at various levels in the central armed forces, sub-inspectors, constables, LDC, steno, PA, income tax inspectors and MTS, among others. They have either been directly recruited by respective ministries or through the UPSC, SSC and the Railway Recruitment Board. For expeditious recruitment, selection processes have been simplified and made tech-enabled, the PMO said.

The recruitment driver comes on the heels of other measures by the government with an eye on the polls. On Tuesday, the Union cabinet increased the rabi MSP for all crops for the 2023-24 season. A day earlier, the PM had released the 12th instalment of the PM Kisan Nidhi at an event in the national capital.