New Punjab Cabinet approves 25,000 government jobs
Punjab's Bhagwant Mann government on Saturday approved a proposal to create 25,000 government jobs in its first cabinet meeting. "Out of 25,000 government jobs, 10,000 would be offered for various posts in Punjab Police. The remaining 15,000 jobs would be given in other departments," the chief minister's office informed. "The process of job advertisements would be initiated within a month," it added.
Why does this story matter?
For years, promises of jobs have been a constant theme in Punjab elections. Despite these lofty claims, the state's employment picture remains bleak, according to different studies conducted by the government and non-governmental organizations. As per the latest unemployment data report issued on January 3 by the independent think-tank Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), over eight lakh individuals are now unemployed in Punjab.
Poll promise by AAP
In its election promises, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had stated that if the government is formed, it will give jobs to jobless youngsters. Apart from job creation, the party had vowed to modernize the state's government schools and hospitals, to offer free electricity, and to pay Rs 1,000 every month to all women over the age of 18 years in the state.
7.4% unemployment rate in Punjab, against 4.8% nationally
According to statistics from the Centre's Periodic Labour Force Survey 2019-20, which was issued in July of last year, Punjab had a 7.4 percent unemployment rate, compared to a nationwide level of 4.8 percent. The state's unemployment rate has stayed steady since the last survey in 2018-19, despite the fact that the national unemployment rate has fallen from 5.8 percent to 4.8 percent.
Other decisions taken in the meeting
The state administration also authorized the introduction of supplemental claims for funding for the fiscal year 2021-22 in the assembly session. This resolution would budget for additional or excess expenditures incurred by several departments. This was the first cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister after the formation of his cabinet. A total of ten ministers were inducted earlier in the day.
Ten new ministers took oath today
Ten AAP MLAs, including one woman, were sworn into the Punjab Cabinet on Saturday in Chandigarh. At a ceremony at the Guru Nanak Dev auditorium at Punjab Raj Bhawan here, Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ten ministers. Among them, only two, Harpal Cheema and Meet Hayer are two-term MLAs, while the other eight are first-time MLAs.
Facts about Punjab's new cabinet
Interestingly, Sunam MLA Aman Arora, who won the election by the widest margin has not been appointed as a minister. Out of 10 ministers, five represent the Malwa region, four represent the Majha, and one represents the Doaba region. Two cabinet ministers are also doctors.
Punjab Assembly Elections 2022
The AAP won 92 seats in the recently concluded Punjab Assembly elections, knocking most of its opponents to the edges. Congress won 18 seats in the 117-member Assembly. The Punjab elections were thought to be a fierce multi-cornered battle. However, all of Punjab's political heavyweights in Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress contesting against AAP were decimated.
