Modi relaxes age limit for govt jobs

CM's announcement in Rajkot and similar promise by Congress party come on the same day

On his 62nd birthday, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced relaxation in age limits for state government jobs. The announcement comes on the same day the state Congress made a similar promise as part of its manifesto for the 2012 assembly elections.

With polls likely to held in December, both the major parties are competing hard to woo the voters by offering sops and promises.

Addressing youth at Rajkot's Racecourse ground Modi said, "Gujarat government has decided to relax age limit for those applying for government jobs." He said that for jobs where age limit was 25 years relaxation has been given till 28 years, while for those jobs with age limit of 28 years it has been relaxed till 30 years. In case of SC/ST candidates the relaxation has been extended further by five years.

 

Interestingly, Modi's announcement on relaxation in age limit for government jobs comes just ahead of similar promise by state Congress party in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat Congress on Monday announced that it would introduce new employment and industrial policy, it they are voted to power during the Assembly elections. They claimed that Gujarat had the highest number of unemployed youth, over one million. The policy it proposes to introduce is aimed to provide jobs to the educated unemployed youths of the state.

The announcement was made by the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President, Arjun Modhwadia, as part of the party's 2012 election manifesto also known as Gujarat Praja Vikas Darshan.

"In spite of the numerous claims of Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the development of Gujarat, the fact remains that the state has over one million educated unemployed youth," the Congress leader said.

"The Chief Minister has for the past 11 years only worked for the big industrialists. A big chunk of all the investments in the state has gone to a select few industrialists. This nexus between the politicians and industrialists has led to the exploitation of the state treasury," he alleged. The GPCC president further claimed that Modi had set a record in selling off large chunks of gauchar and government land for industrial use. Modhwadia announced "if the party was voted to power, a new employment and industrial policy will be introduced to provide jobs to the unemployed youth of the state."

Other slew of announcements for the youth and employment by the party include relaxation in age limit for government job to 35 years, 80 per cent employment to local residents in industrial units to be made mandatory, generation of one million new job opportunities for youth, recruitment of five lakh youth under the Apprenticeship Act.

Also, there would be parks set up near big towns for self employment, 100 new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) would be set up, with new skill development courses, vocational training for tribal youth and efforts to fill up all the vacant posts in the state government offices.