AAP vows job quota for Goa residents before state polls
PANAJI: Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced one job for each family in Goa and 80% reservation in private sector jobs for local residents if his party forms the next government in the state.
Kejriwal, who made similar promises in poll-bound Uttarakhand on Sunday, also assured monthly income supports for unemployed youths and those dependent on mining and tourism industries.
Addressing reporters here, the Delhi chief minister said unemployment was one of the biggest issues facing the state and the Covid-19 pandemic has added to the woes.
“Corona has made people unemployed, people have gone bankrupt. For many years, Goa has not had mining, there was unemployment on that front too. Many youngsters are forced to leave the state. We have to
create job opportunities here. You need an honest government with good intentions,” he said.
“Government jobs are reserved for Goans with 15 years of domicile... we will bring a law to reserve 80% private jobs for Goan youth. We will ensure employment to one youngster per household, and a monthly stipend of ₹3,000 till that happens,” he added.
The AAP chief arrived in the state on Monday for a two-day visit, to drum up support for his party ahead of polls in February next year. He also tried to woo the people dependent on mining and tourism sectors, the major recruiters in Goa. While mining came to a standstill after the Supreme Court in February 2018 cancelled the renewals of 88 operational mining leases and asked that they be issued afresh, the Covid-19 induced lockdown has adversely affected the tourism industry. Kejriwal assured a monthly remuneration of ₹5,000 to families dependent on the two industries till these sectors are normalised.
Taking a dig at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state for allegedly “copying” the AAP’S governance model by promising free water and doorstep services scheme of his government, Kejriwal said: “Why vote for ‘duplicate’ when you can vote for the ‘original’?”
Reacting to Kejriwal’s announcements, BJP leader and former MP Narendra Sawaikar said: “It is easy to say anything. These are hollow promises. The people of Goa have seen the work done by the BJP government over the last nine-and-ahalf to ten years and will vote on the basis of that.”
In the 2017 polls, the AAP had drawn a blank.