Budget 2019: Amid Unemployment Woes, 6.84 Lakh Posts Vacant In Central Govt! How FM Can Cure Job Crisis

The minister also added that filling up of vacant posts is a continuous process depending on vacancies arising across ministries or departments during the year and action calendar of the recruiting agency.

Rising joblessness both in rural and urban areas is spelling more trouble for the government. (Image: FinMin/Twitter)

Budget 2019: At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government is reeling under the pressure of increasing unemployment across the country, the Central government on Wednesday claimed that over 6.84 lakh posts were vacant in various departments under it. "Of the total sanctioned strength of 38.02 lakh, 31.18 lakh were filled as on March 1, 2018, leaving 6.84 lakh posts vacant," news agency PTI quoted a a written reply by Minister of State (MoS) Jitendra Singh. The Statistic Ministry, had in May 2019, revealed that country's unemployment rate rose to 6.1 per cent in the 2017-18 fiscal year, making it highest level in at least 45 years. "Vacancies in central government are caused due to retirement, death, promotion, etc. and the posts falling vacant are required to be filled as per recruitment rules by ministries, departments or organisations concerned," Singh said. The minister also added that filling up of vacant posts is a continuous process depending on vacancies arising across ministries or departments during the year and action calendar of the recruiting agency. In another reply, he said the Staff Selection Commission has planned to conduct examinations to fill up the 1,03,266 vacancies reported by various ministries during the years 2019 and 2020.  "Railway Board has notified five centralised employment notifications in 2018-19 for new and future vacancies likely to arise in two years, covering 1,56,138 vacancies," Singh said. As the Modi govt 2.0 with a new Finance Minister is days away from presenting the Union Budget for 2019-20 fiscal, rising unemployment would be among one of the prime issues that needs to tabled. Narendra Modi government came to power with a promise of generating one crore jobs a year since 2014 with it came to power for the first time. However, the rising joblessness both in rural and urban areas is spelling more trouble for the government.

Industry experts, during their pre-Budget meeting with FM Nirmala Sitharaman earlier this month, suggested that the government should set up a National Employment Board in order to look into employment creation hurdles and address them on a real-time basis. They also suggested the government that states with Fixed Term Employment and other labour law reforms should receive priority in the Centre's infrastructure project funding. ALSO READ | Budget 2019: Why transforming education, skill development should be key focus for Modi govt 2.0 Several top economists believe that even if it takes toll on the fiscal deficit, government must focus on creating more jobs through selective structural reforms - both long and short terms. Though FM Sitharaman might not be able to announce major employment schemes in this year's budget, but what she can do instead is form a committee or issue a suggestion statement which could monitor jobs accurately in the country. “By introducing structural reforms in  employment, employability, and education - Budget 2019 can aid in making our youth more resilient to prepare themselves for the future and add more formal jobs which will cultivate a healthy growth for both the staffing industry in India and its overall economic progress," Rituparna Chakraborty, President, Indian Staffing Federation told ABP Live. Even if there are some macro-economic hurdles ahead, experts strongly believe that government must take the necessary steps to the change the employment landscape as it aspires to be among one of the top fives economies in the world and to fuel its plan to become a $5 trillion economy, the time for action is NOW!