Challenges ahead for new govts in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur

The incoming govts will have to work on creating more job opportunities to bring these states' unemployment rates close to the national average, besides containing inflation and meeting poll promises

As the dust settles after the Assembly elections to five states, the new governments will have their task cut out.

The new Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab will have to factor in the state's huge debt, which is estimated to be half the size of its economy by the end of the current financial year. The party's promise of Rs 1,000 to every woman above the age of 18 years might have to be carefully planned in this context. It will also have to work on generating job opportunities, as the unemployment rate in Punjab is much higher than the national average.

Debt will also be a factor in Uttar Pradesh, where the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party is returning for a second term. UP's debt could be a third of its gross domestic product by the end of this financial year if Adityanath continues with the ongoing welfare schemes and keeps the BJP's manifesto promise of free power supply to farmers for irrigation. Besides, the saffron-clad CM has to maintain his image of a hard task master when it comes to controlling crime in the state. Despite a drop in incidents of crime, UP accounted for 13 per cent of crime in the country in 2020.

The other three states where election results came on Thursday -- Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand -- also have employment rates below the national average. The BJP has won another term in these states, too. The new governments will need to create more jobs to bring down these states' unemployment rates close to the national average. Those in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Manipur, particularly, will additionally have to take steps to ease the burden of inflation on the common man.