Kerala Assembly: Opposition stages walkout after wrangling with Left govt over youth unemployment

Citing Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s Periodic Labour Force Survey, Congress legislator P.C. Vishnunadh points out that unemployment rate among age group is 29.9% in Kerala compared to 10% national average

The ruling front and the Opposition clashed in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Thursday (October 10, 2024) over the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report’s finding that the unemployment rate in Kerala among the 15-29 age group was dismally high compared to the national average.

The wrangle that unfolded during Zero Hour culminated in a Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) walkout. 

Seeking leave of the House for an adjournment debate on the PLFS’ “worrying finding”, Congress legislator P.C. Vishnunadh said the unemployment rate among the age group was 29.9% in Kerala compared to the 10% national average. He said unemployment was worse among Kerala women of the 15-29 age group. 

Quoting Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT) figures, Mr Vishnunadh said youngsters in Kerala had taken ₹4,045 crore in study loans from public sector banks to look for jobs abroad. In contrast, the total outlay for higher education in the State was less than ₹1,000 crore. 

Mr Vishnunadh said youth found government jobs less attractive. The Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) ranks lists rarely materialise as jobs. “Not even the first rank holder in the KPSC’s recent rank list for Civil Police Officers (CPO) has received an advisory memo. The CPO list will lapse soon,” he said.

Mr Vishnunadh chided the government for splurging on Navakerala Sadas, Keraleeyam, and Lok Kerala Sabha while allowing government vacancies to languish, citing financial constraints.

He also slammed the government’s routine of appointing retired IAS and IPS officials to top posts in public utilities while failing to redeem the colossal backlog of dearness allowance (DA) and pensions due to serving and retired government employees, respectively.

“The government has ₹100 crore to invite the Argentina football team to Kerala but not a paisa to fill vacant administrative posts”, Mr Vishnunadh said.

Self-inflicted financial crisis: Satheesan

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said hospitals, schools, and police stations were inadequately staffed due to the government’s self-inflicted financial crisis, hobbling public service delivery.

He said local bodies lacked funds to do essential civic work. “The Treasuries pass only less than ₹5 lakh cheques belatedly,” he said. 

Balagopal slams Opposition

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal slammed the Opposition for painting a “bleak picture” of Kerala.

He said the PLFS survey was inherently erroneous. “Unlike other States, most youngsters in the 15-29 age group are students. The Opposition’s PLFS-based analogy between Kerala and the rest of the country was flawed and highly misleading,” he said.

Mr Balagopal said Kerala had topped the country in PSC appointments, adherence to reservation norms, temporary recruitment through the employment exchange and timely reporting of job vacancies. 

He said the high number of migrant workers in Kerala, an estimated 24 lakh, testified to the State’s covetable physical quality of life index and immense employment prospects.

Mr Balagopal said timely salary revisions and a humane working environment, including pensions and medical insurance, had made government jobs more desirable when contract employment with zero service benefits and summary retrenchment was increasingly becoming the norm, even in the Army, Railways, and, predominantly, the private sector.

Quoting the latest India Skill Report, Mr Balagopal said young professionals reckoned Thiruvananthapuram, followed by Kochi, the best employment hub in the country. He said Kerala had the highest number of start-ups in the country, an estimated 6000 and growing. 

Mr Balagopal said the Opposition’s adjournment notice had no merit and did not warrant a debate.

Speaker A.N. Shamseer rejected the UDF’s demand for an adjournment debate.

Published - October 10, 2024 12:54 pm IST