Rush at employment exchanges after job allowance promise

In different districts, where 10 to 50 candidates were getting registered daily before the announcement of election manifestos, now 150 to 2,000 youths are lining up for registration every day. To manage the crowds, the authorities have opened additional counters for registration. In Allahabad, police have been deployed to control the crowds.

In its election manifesto released on January 20, the SP has promised to pay Rs 1,000 per month to unemployed youths if it is voted to power. The SP also promised tablets for students clearing class 10 exams and laptops for those passing class 12.

A week later, the BJP released its manifesto which promised an unemployment allowance of Rs 2,000 per month and free tablets for students up to class XII and free laptops for student above class XII if they belong to poor families.

After the announcements, the number of registrations at employment offices started rising, with Allahabad reporting a maximum of around 15,000 new registrations so far their names registered. But after the announcement of unemployment allowance, a minimum of 2,000 youths are registering themselves here every day.”

Singh said the administration, on their request, had deployed a team of 16 policemen to control the crowds. Including the new registrations, the total number of unemployed youths in Allahabad is now 1.35 lakh.

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