'Another jumla': Rahul slams PM Modi over Employment Linked Incentive plan

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the government's 'Employment Linked Incentive' scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said while he creates new slogans everyday, the youth are still waiting for real opportunities, and asked if it was "just another jumla".

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that after the 2024 election, PM Modi announced the "Employment Linked Incentive" scheme with much fanfare, promising to provide employment to our youth.

"It's been nearly a year since announcing the scheme, the government hasn't even defined it, and has returned the Rs 10,000 crores allotted to it. This shows how serious the PM is about unemployment," he alleged without elaborating the claim.

There was no immediate response from the government on it.

Gandhi said jobs can't be created by focusing only on large corporates, promoting cronies over fair-play businesses, prioritising assembly over production, and disregarding India's indigenous skills.

"The way to create crores of jobs is through large-scale investment in MSMEs, fair markets where competition can thrive, support for local production networks and youth equipped with the right skills," he said.

"The PM won't agree with these ideas. But I must ask him directly: Prime Minister ji, you announced ELI with great showmanship - but where has this Rs 10,000 crore scheme disappeared? Have you abandoned our unemployed youth along with your promises?"  "While you create new slogans every day, our youth are still waiting for real opportunities. What is your concrete plan to generate the crores of jobs India desperately needs, or is this just another jumla?" he said.

Gandhi further asked when will the PM shift his focus from enriching Adani and his "billionaire friends" to ensuring that young people from marginalised communities have equal access to employment.