Scrapping unemployment dole sparks protests, unrest in Rajasthan Premium

Rajasthan's BJP government's decision to end youth employment schemes worsens joblessness, sparking protests and highlighting grim unemployment situation.

A decision by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan, shortly after it came to power in December 2023, to discontinue the previous Congress regime’s Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra Internship Scheme and halt the recruitment of Mahatma Gandhi Seva Preraks has left more than 5,000 youths unemployed. The move has worsened the unemployment situation in Rajasthan, which is among the top five States with joblessness.

Ending both schemes has directly impacted those who were getting honorariums for their work, raising concerns about the decision’s potential social and economic repercussions. The Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitras were young graduates placed in various government departments to publicise their welfare schemes. They received a monthly stipend of ₹17,500.

After prolonged protests by those who lost their jobs, supported by the Opposition Congress, the government recently agreed to replace the two schemes with a new one — the Chief Minister’s Fellowship Programme. But this episode highlighted Rajasthan’s grim unemployment situation.

Data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), shows Rajasthan’s unemployment rate among those 15 years and older to have reduced marginally from 4.7% in 2020-21 and 2021-22 to4.4% in 2022-23. More than 18.40 lakh unemployed candidates are registered with the government’s Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship.

While the department’s FY24 annual report states that 6.38 lakh candidates were paid a monthly unemployment dole of ₹4,500 between February 1, 2019, when the scheme was introduced and December 31, 2023, recipients have disputed it, saying payments were irregular and were conditional on meeting several difficult criteria.

Democratic Youth Federation of India’s State Committee member Ritansh Azad toldThe Hinduthat jobless youth were not only deprived of their allowance, but there was not enough work for them in the urban employment guarantee scheme, which was introduced with much fanfare in 2022. “There is hardly any work available in the informal sector even for less than statutory minimum wages. Construction workers wait endlessly daily at pick-up points in cities,” he added.

Mr. Azad said the budget for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was gradually being reduced, which has had an adverse impact on villagers. Besides, as many as 20 incidents of paper leaks in the government recruitment exams since 2021, and the cancellation of the exams, had dampened candidates’ spirits who are struggling to find jobs.