Unemployment: Challenges before the Nation

Unemployment: Challenges before the Nation

The Budget 2008-09 presented by the Union Finance Minister in the Parliament has crushed the dreams and aspirations of the country’s unemployed youth once again. The expectations of the youth from the government towards them at least in the election year were shattered, once that the budget proposals were announced.

The Congress party had celebrated countrywide the announcement of the farmer’s loan waiver in the Budget. This is despite the fact, that doubts were raised by economists regarding the benefits reaching the real farmers, who are being forced to committing suicide due to the heavy burden of debt.

Unemployment is raising everywhere in the world and is growing like a cancer. But, we hardly find any solution to it. We did not have either any definite scheme or fund allocation to solve the unemployment in the Budget. The ruling class seems to be unconcerned of the plight of our youth, who are being forced to kill themselves in hunger due to joblessness.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, now extended to rural areas of all the districts in the country, was announced after a long struggle by the Left forces, but the allocation is almost negligible with a meager Rs.16000 crore. The Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana scheme is also merged with NREGS. The allocation meant for the Yojana, has also been dropped. This painful act exposes the real character of the Congress party towards youth and the worst hit are the rural unemployed youth.

The Common Minimum Programe, which assures the allocation of funds to the extent of 6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product to education, and 2 to 3 percent allocation to health, only proves the least importance the government is giving to these sectors. At the same time, thousands of crores have been allotted to buy arms and meet other defense expenses (Rs.1, 05,600 crore).

If a country wants to emerge as the real powerful force, it should first of all ensure education, employment and health to all its citizens. Purchasing of arms and increase in the defense budget at the cost of education, employment and health will not help ensure sustained growth of the nation. If our youth are taken care of, they are the biggest asset for our nation and will stand up to defend the mother land. The government does not learn from the past experiences which the world had faced.

The young people are the prime victims of the neo-globalisations in the world. Millions of youth are getting frustrated and take to the streets all over world against the globalisation. Even in Europe and America, the youth are coming out on in large numbers against the perils of globalisations. In fact, the alarming rise in unemployment is the result of the liberal policies, being followed which only help further concentration of wealth in the hand of the rich.

The Economic Survey and the Budget show the way to private and corporate sectors are looting the national wealth in the name of growth. India has more human and natural resources than any other country in the world and is one of the youngest countries in the world with 52 percent of the population up to the age of 25 and 60 percent of people are under 40 years but at the same time millions of youth are not gainfully employed and kept away from the national development process. The unemployment rate has gone up to three-folds in the country.

Abdul Kalam, the former President of our country in the 2005 Republic Day address noted that 5.6 crore job can be created and considering private employment a total of 7.6 crores of jobs can be generated in the next five years in the country. He also listed the sectors with possible avenues of employment. The central government has not yet given due weight to the proposals of the former President of India.

During the liberation movement, Shaheed-e- Azam Bhagat singh and his friends have fought and sacrificed their lives not only for political freedom, but also for social emancipation of the poor and freeing them from exploitations and removing unemployment. After we got our freedom, the rulers of our country followed the capitalistic path, increased disparities in the society and gap between the haves and have-nots also widened. Unemployment has been bringing unheard miseries to the youth.

The rulers of our country and most of the political leaders always speak sweet words about the future of the youth. In real terms, the miserable life of our youth has worsened. Unemployment is the root cause of the all ill effects in the society. The anger of youth gets channelised against the political system and the rulers of the country forcing the youth to resort to anti-national and extremist activities. Some of them even get attracted to communalism, casteism and regionalism and are being used by these forces to achieve their own nefarious ends.

Youths are frustrated for not getting their rights and fair shares in the national growth. The most painful data is that the majority sections of those take part in the criminal activities are youths that is evident from the news we get from various parts of our country. Nexalism, extremism, communalism and regionalism are becoming the vital agendas of the State and Central governments and spend funds in crores to curb these activities. Instead of arms, it is necessary to provide them with employment, basic health and education in the affected areas hopefully resulting positive.

It is imperative to evolve plans to ensure a comprehensive development with alternate policies. The youth needs to be mobilised with social a perspective, forcing the government to come out with policies that will help the youth to lead a decent life, taking part fully in nation building.

The world has many a witnessed youth power and our rulers too need not underestimate the power of our youth. If the government fails to use this youth power and their resources in a progressive path of development, it may pose danger in the coming period and pave the way to further social conflicts in the society. The government continues to close its eyes on the issue of unemployment, youth will loss their faith. A plan which is not worked out in right time will not benefit, needs timely and necessary intervention to eradicate the social evils of unemployment with progressive alternative policy for the future of youth and country.

The youth policy of the central government should be revived in the right perspective and subject to change. Allocation of funds to education and health should be enhanced. The national youth fund should be created to generate employment.

A comprehensive youth policy taking into account all aspects concerning the development of youth, eradication of poverty and unemployment and ensuring better health to all can take the country forward.