NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has taken a leaf out of its 2024 Lok Sabha polls manifesto by announcing an internship programme but "in their trademark style", the scheme has been designed to "grab headlines with arbitrary targets" rather than a programmatic guarantee.
In the Union Budget of 2024-25, Sitharaman announced that the government will launch a scheme to provide internship opportunities to 1 crore youth in 500 top companies over five years.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Finance Minister has taken a leaf out of the INC's Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship program clearly modelled on the INC's proposed Apprenticeship Program that was called Pehli Naukri Pakki."
"However, in their trademark style, the scheme has been designed to grab headlines, with arbitrary targets (1 crore internships) rather than a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, like the Indian National Congress had envisioned," Ramesh said.
In another post, Ramesh said that after "ten years of denial -- where neither the non-biological PM nor his party's Lok Sabha Elections Manifesto would even mention jobs -- the Union Government seems to have finally come around to tacitly admitting that mass unemployment is a national crisis that requires urgent attention".
"It's far too late, and as it turns out, far too little - the Budget speech is more focused on posturing than action," he said.
In its 2024 Lok Sabha polls manifesto, the Congress had promised that if it comes to power it will bring in a new Right to Apprenticeship Act to provide a one year apprenticeship with a private or a public sector company to every diploma holder or college graduate below the age of 25.
"Apprentices will get Rs 1 lakh a year. The apprenticeship will impart skills, enhance employability and provide full-time job opportunities for millions of youth," the manifesto had said.