The Narendra Modi government has been panned by the Opposition for not creating enough jobs for the unemployed in India. Now, it is hitting back at these allegations. Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar at BJP’s Gujarat Gaurav Maha-sampark Abhiyaan on November 12 stated that over one core new provident fund (PF) accounts were opened in the country in 2016-17. This statement by the minister came as a counter reaction to the allegations of lack of employment, being made by the Congress party. While talking about the same, Javadekar said, “Ek hi ankada batata hoon…Ek saal me ek crore PF ke naye accounts shuru huye…PF ka account to koi naukri lagega tabhi shuru hoga na?…ek crore naye accounts in 2016-17. (I will give just one figure…One crore new PF accounts were opened in one year. PF account can be opened only when a person gets a job…One crore new accounts in 2016-17),” as quoted by Indian Express.
The statement made by the Congress party targeted Prime Minister Narendra and claimed that there was lack of employment under the present dispensation. While addressing the press in Ahmedabad, Javadekar further said, “Through one Mudra Yojana, seven crore people got employment…We have started national career portal and introduced apprenticeship programme for youth.” The HRD Minister further talked about how important it was to take a note of the jobs in informal and service sectors as the economy of India had changed a great deal. He said, “Service sector ka contribution 60 per cent hain GDP me aur rojgar ke khsetra me bhi…bahot bada yogdan hain…informal sector me bahot rojgar mil raha hain (Service sector’s contribution to GDP is 60 per cent and has a large contribution in employment generation. A lot of jobs are being generated in the informal sector).”
Javadekar then went on to take a jibe at Congress VP Rahul Gandhi while talking about BJP’s initiatives that are with and for the youth. He said, “If anybody who has become unemployed in Modi’s rule, it is people like the Congress vice-president.” He also talked about Rahul Gandhi’s promise to cap GST rates at 18 per cent if voted to power and said, ““I want to ask what kind of uniform tax structure he (Rahul) wants? He is advocating 18 per cent GST on all items. It means all those commodities that fall in zero, 5 or 12 per cent slabs should be charged at 18 per cent. It seems the Congress wants to increase the tax burden on people.”
