Bhubaneswar: Observing the previous Congress government's agreement with the DFID as a hurdle in providing jobs to the youth during its 15-year regime in Odisha, the BJD government today said its commitments to people should not be suspected.
"The then state government in 1999 had imposed restrictions on new appointments and creation of posts for 10 years as part of its agreement with the DFID. Therefore, the State could not give government jobs to youths for a long period," Employment minister Sanjay Dasburma said while replying a debate in the Assembly.
However, the minister said, after revocation of the restriction, the State government had been stressing on giving employment to the youth in the State.
"We have launched a Chief Minister Employment Generation Scheme. Under the scheme about 11 lakh youths, both in the rural and urban areas would be given employment in first five years," Dasburma said.
These 11 lakh youth will be provided either direct or indirect jobs besides self-employment during the period, the minister said adding at least 150 youth from each gram panchayat would be imparted skill development training to make them self-sufficient.
Employment and Technical Education and Training department has given appointments to 295 youths in the posts of assistant training officer, laboratory assistant and junior librarian.
Opposition Congress, however, flayed the State government and accused it of failing to give employment to youths despite the state signing 98 MoUs for setting up different industries in the State.