Next Delhi govt’s job fair on Valentine’s Day?

Given the response, which is more than expected, I suggested that we hold another fair in February next year. The weather will not be as bad then. We will discuss the final date.

GOPAL RAI, Delhi labour and employment minister

NEWDELHI: Buoyed by a ‘more than expected’ response to its job fair that concluded on Wednesday, the Delhi government may organise the next edition of the event on Valentine’s Day next year.

Labour and employment minister Gopal Rai has suggested that the event be organised on February 14, to make it more ‘effective’.

The suggestion came up during a meeting of officials and the minister at the Thayagraj stadium, the venue for the two-day fair, before the event concluded. Rai, who was informed by officials that more than 20,000 job applicants were shortlisted in the two days of the fair, suggested organising the event within three months, on February 14, said a senior official who attended the meeting at 1: 30pm.

“The minister wanted us to organise it on the Valentine’s Day so that it connects with the youth,” said the official.

As per government figures, 11,033 job seekers were shortlisted in the 75 companies who participated in the fair on the first day on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they said, more than 8,000 aspirants were shortlisted at 84 kiosks. This was the second such fair organised by Delhi government in last two years.

“Given the response which is more than expected, I suggested that we hold another fair in February next year. The weather will not be as bad then. We will discuss the final date,” Gopal Rai told Hindustan Times. Around 12,000 youths were given jobs at a similar event held two years ago.

The minister also suggested that the experience of the fair should be shared with other states so that they can also benefit.

“Every state has an employment department or an employ- ment exchange. But they are defunct. I have suggested that we hold a meeting of the employment department officials of other states so that we can share our experience with them. It is important to take measures of generating jobs in times of scarcity due to demonetisation or GST,” Rai said.

On Tuesday, CM Arvind Kejriwal, while inaugurating the event, said he expected to provide jobs to 11,500 youths.

“We learnt from our past experience. The job portal that we created generated timely information about the fair. Hence, the response was good,” Rai said.