PDPS 100 % employment??? First it was a big announcement for allowance and benefits and now an allegation on attitude problem of our young minds! In June 2013, at a youth convention at Nazhoen Pelri Complex, PDP pledged 100 percent employment to the youth of Bhutan. The Prime Minister was quoted as saying: “I promise that every one of you will get a job However, there is a stark difference between his rosy promises and ground reality. Out of the 12,500 registered job seekers, 8,000 still remains unemployed today. With increase in power tariff, hike in taxes, and declining economic growth, the creation of new jobs seems highly unlikely and sounds more like one of their 100 days pledges. Youth unemployment has actually risen from 7.5% in 2012 to 9% this year. Of the 30,000 job seekers assured of overseas employment, so far, only 481 workers or just 1% is have been sent overseas and that too, by private registered employment agencies. Out of that, 198 have been sent to India and 75 to Thailand. The government also announced with fanfare to take in 3,000 to 3,500 job seekers under the Guaranteed Employment Programme, giving hopes to thousands of young job seekers, but today, only around 300 have been recruited under this program, which is far too less a number than intended. Given the question of sustainability and future of youth after the contract ends, this program seems more like an exaggerated optimism than a light at the end of the tunnel for our job seeking youths. Even the government’s vaunted promise of placing 2,000 youths under the apprenticeship-training program has been a dismal failure. These figures portray an unequivocal proof that the government has failed to deliver on its promises of providing 100% employment for the youths of Bhutan. It is about time the government stop making false promises to coax our young voters, but instead come up with concrete programs to resolve youth unemployment and avert youth related social problems. A simple question that that needs to be asked is: where is the blue print for employment generation? And where is the road map for economic development that would generate employment for our youth? (Submitted by Employment Review Committee)
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 10:04:58 +0000
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