Odisha Govt Has Failed To Provide Employment To Youths: Opposition

Bhubaneswar: While moving an adjournment motion on unemployment and fuel price rise issues in the Odisha Assembly, the Opposition today alleged that the money spent by the government for skill development has gone waste in the State.

Both the BJP and the Congress alleged that though 18 lakh youths are unemployed in the State at present, the government is reappointing retired employees. Besides, the government failed to keep its promise to develop the skills of 10 lakh workers who returned to the State during Covid-19 pandemic, they alleged.

BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi said, "The Odisha government has completely failed in providing employment to youths. We are saying this on the basis of the report of the National Simple Survey Organization."

Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati said, "When lakhs of youths returned to the State during Covid-19, the government failed to provide them job and they had to return to other states again. Due to the failure of the Centre and the State government, educated unemployed youths are joining Maoist organisation."

Reacting to the allegations, the Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Premananda Nayak said the government is giving emphasis on the skill development and employment of youths in the State.

"We have imparted training to 14 lakh youths and made them employable. Of the total 92,000 youths made employable under Placement Linked Training Program (PLTP), nearly 20,000 have given employment. We are not creating unemployment, rather we are making them self-employed and providing employment," said Nayak.

On the other hand, the youth Congress took to streets and scuffled with police while marching towards the Assembly protesting unemployment issue. The party leaders targeted both the Centre and the State over the unemployment and hike in fuel price issues.

(Edited By Pradeep Singh)