NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that his government has provided nearly 10 lakh permanent government jobs to youths in the last one and a half years which he asserted, is a record.
Addressing recruits at a Rozgar Mela through a virtual event, where over 71,000 people were given appointment letters in several central government departments. Modi said never before in the tenure of any previous government jobs were provided in such a "mission mode", adding that the young population has come in his government at the centre of policies and programmes.
PM Modi said, "The country is exploring and encouraging ‘Yuva Pratibha’ (Youth Talent) to ensure true development across all fields. From space to defence, from tourism to wellness, today India is touching new heights in every sector."
Noting that a large number of recruits are women, Modi said that their achievements will serve as an inspiration for other women. “Our aim is to empower women to become self-reliant in every field," he added.
The government's decision to grant 26-week maternity leave to women has helped them a lot in their careers, adding that women are the majority owners of the house constructed under the 'PM Awas Yojana'.
The PM also dwelt upon how the National Education Policy has taken steps for the development of youngsters emphasizing the use of mother tongues in primary education.
“The government has ensured that language is not a barrier by ensuring that youngsters can take recruitment exams in 13 Indian languages”, he claimed.
Noting that former Prime Minister Charan Singh, whose birth anniversary fell on Monday, stood for the development of rural India and the country's progress, Modi said his government has followed this by creating job and self-employment opportunities in villages.
Notably, over 29 % of the 71,000 recruited belong to the OBC category while the Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 15.8 and 9.6 % respectively.