Himachal govt reducing job opportunities, says BJP

Shimla, July 19 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Sanjeev Katwal on Sunday slammed the state Congress government over its revised outsourcing policy, stating that instead of creating employment, the government has systematically reduced job opportunities for the youth.

Katwal said the Finance Department’s revised instructions issued last week clearly stated that no new outsourced services could be engaged without prior approval and that outsourcing should remain limited to temporary and exceptional requirements. He said these directives have created uncertainty for thousands of young people dependent on outsourcing‑based employment.

He asserted that under the Jai Ram Thakur‑led BJP government (2017–2022), employment generation remained a top priority. More than 30,000 government appointments were made across various departments through transparent recruitment processes, providing significant employment opportunities to the state’s youth.

In contrast, Katwal said in a statement that the Congress government has failed to fill thousands of vacant posts across various departments, resulting in prolonged recruitment delays and growing frustration among unemployed youth.

He pointed out that the government has admitted on the floor of the Assembly that more than 1,800 government institutions have been closed, denotified or merged, resulting in a significant reduction in employment opportunities.

“Now, by imposing strict restrictions on outsourcing, the government is further shrinking the already limited avenues of employment,” he said.

Katwal reminded the government of its election promise to provide one lakh government jobs every year, stating that after more than two and a half years in office, lakhs of unemployed youth are still waiting for recruitment notifications and appointment letters.

“Neither has a comprehensive recruitment calendar been issued nor have vacant posts been filled,” he said.

Katwal said the BJP would continue to raise the voice of unemployed youth both inside and outside the Assembly. He added that the youth “deserve transparent recruitment, timely appointments and stable employment, not broken promises and anti‑employment policies”.

He demanded that the Congress government immediately initiate regular recruitment against all vacant posts and restore confidence among the state’s unemployed youth.

–IANS

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