Trinamool Congress hits out at BJP govt over lack of efforts to boost employment

Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that despite promises made by him, the government has not been able to create job opportunities for the youth.

Addressing a press briefing, the Trinamool's parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien said that the government was using data selectively.

"Shifting time series, and the selective use of data deflects attention from the quality of jobs that are being created and whether they are in fact 'new jobs'...PM Modi promised in 2015 that he will turn India into the 'human resource Capital of the world'. In 2018, India ranks 158/195 nations on the Human Capital Index, just behind Sudan," O'Brien said.

He said wages in India continue to be well below the seventh pay commission and when adjusted for inflation, wage rates have grown in most sectors at three per cent per annum.

"31 million Indians are without a job...10 per cent increase in GDP results in less than one per cent increase in employment," he said.

He also said that according to Labour Ministry data, over the past year, the National Career Service portal witnessed a 29 per cent decline in the number of advertised vacancies but a 56 per cent increase in job seekers.

The TMC today protested outside parliament over lack of jobs for the country's youths.