The Hindu : BJP for giving allowance to skilled workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

BJP for giving allowance to skilled workers

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 21. With the Congress making unemployment a key election issue, the Labour Minister, Sahib Singh Verma, today said the BJP, if voted back to power, would consider giving unemployment allowance to skilled workers.

However, Mr. Verma ruled out allowance for unskilled workers, saying it would place a heavy financial burden on the State Governments. "We are thinking of giving unemployment allowance to skilled workers. Allowances to unskilled workers could be considered only after the State Governments agree to share the financial burden," he told reporters.

Referring to the statements of Congress leaders, including its president, Sonia Gandhi, that unemployment had increased manifold in the last five years, Mr. Verma claimed that in 2002-2003 as many as 1.7 crore new employment opportunities were created.

The employment figures were based on the 1.2 crore increase in the number of Employment Provident Fund (EPF) account holders from 2.74 crores in 2001-02 to 3.94 crores in 2002-03.

``There must be a minimum of 50,000 new jobs in establishments having less than 20 employees, and thus not covered under the EPF. This figure had been corroborated by an independent study by the London Business School according to which 1.7 new jobs were created in 2002-03," he said.

Mr. Verma alleged that the Congress-ruled States had failed to create job opportunities.

"Even the existing posts were not filled. The previous Congress Government in Rajasthan took no steps to fill the 30,000 posts of teachers. The BJP, after coming to power, decided to fill all these posts."

Referring to the Congress spokesman, Kapil Sibal's charge that the forms of the newly launched Social Security Scheme had the lotus symbol on them in Mumbai, Mr. Verma urged him to carry out an investigation. "If Mr. Sibal proves his allegation, I will resign from active politics. Otherwise he should do the same."

Mr. Verma said he had written a letter to Mr. Sibal in this regard. "I have not received any response from him." He said his Ministry had nothing to do with the distribution of such forms carrying the BJP's symbol.

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