Congress slams TRS silence on unemployment

Hyderabad: The Congress party has strongly condemned the TRS for its silence on rising unemployment in Telangana State and also the failure of KCR Government in filling over one lakh vacancies in the State Government.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Tuesday, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Official Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin welcomed the promise made in the Congress manifesto released today of filling 22 lakh vacancies within one year after coming to power. "This is a major announcement and good news for lakhs of jobless youth in the country, including Telangana. Congress party wants to win election to serve people of this country and it has come up with a manifesto that aims to serve the immediate needs of people," he said.

However, Nizamuddin said TRS wants to win the elections so that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao could become Prime Minister while giving his post to his son K. Tarakarama Rao. "TRS wants 3.5 crore people of Telangana to forget all their problems and utilise their vote to benefit KCR family. The ambition of KCR to become the Prime Minister is ridiculous. In a House of 543, a party needs 272 MPs to form the government. But KCR and KTR are claiming that with just 16 MPs, they can form the government. This is nothing but an attempt to mislead the people," he said.

The Congress leader alleged that the KCR wants 100% power, but 0% accountability. He said TRS leaders were silent on non-fulfilment of promises made by their party in 2014 elections. "Neither KCR nor KTR are speaking about 12% reservation for Muslims and STs, KG to PG free education, one job for every household and other failed promises. They are also silent on rising unemployment in Telangana State which was one of the major issues that fuelled the movement for separate Telangana. TRS Government totally disappointed the youth and did nothing in the last five years. It could not even fill the vacancies that existed at the time of formation of Telangana," he said.

Nizamuddin reminded that soon after becoming the Chief Minister in 2014, KCR had promised to fill one lakh vacancies in one year. Even after four-and-a-half years, he said that the situation remained unchanged. On March 28, 2018, while replying to a question raised in Telangana Legislative Council, the Chief Minister himself had given the data of Direct Recruitment Vacancies Reported, Permitted, Notified and Selection Process Completed. Of 110,012 vacancies, only 83,048 were permitted and 52,724 vacancies were notified. But the selection process was completed for only 28,116. They included 12,152 vacancies in Home Department filled through Police Recruitment Board, he said.

As per the Telangana State Public Service Commission's Notification Status, as on March 2, 2019, out of 36,527 vacancies notified, only 22,129 jobs have been filled, he said.

The Congress leader pointed out that not a single post has been filled in many departments. "Of 4,702 vacancies in Higher Education Department, not a single post has been notified or filled. Of 9,980 vacant posts in School Education Dept, only 136 have been filled. In Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department, of 12,487 vacancies, only 12 posts have been filled. Of 2,278 vacancies in Minorities Welfare Department, selection process has been completed only for 550 posts," he said.

Nizamuddin said more than 18.25 lakh youth have registered themselves with the Telangana State Public Service Commission. There are lakhs of other graduates, under-graduates and college/school-drop outs who need a suitable job. Unemployment situation is so worse in Telangana that over 10 lakh youth had applied for just 700 vacancies of VROs. Though the minimum qualification required for VRO was SSC pass, as many as 372 candidates had a Ph.D, 539 had M.Phil degrees, 1.5 lakh were postgraduates, over 2 lakh were engineers among the four lakh plus graduates, he said.

"If Congress party is voted to power, it will strive hard to create jobs for these 30 lakh youth. However, if TRS wins 16 seats, jobless youth will not gain anything," he said adding that KCR would never become the Prime Minister and he would use TRS MPs to help the BJP. He appealed to the people to vote for Congress candidates to ensure bright future of their children and not for political elevation of KCR or KTR or their family members.