Delhi Youth to Protest at LG House on Sept 28 to Demand ‘Jobs or Unemployment Allowance’

New Delhi:  Government claims notwithstanding, the biggest challenge facing the youth of India today is unemployment, particularly among the educated, some of whom are being forced to do menial jobs.

To demand ‘Jobs or Unemployment Allowance’, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in Delhi is planning to protest in front of the Lt Governor’s house on the birth anniversary of revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, on September 28.

“The DYFI Delhi State Committee will protest demanding immediate recruitment for the lakhs of vacant posts in various government departments and MCD, provision of a monthly allowance of ₹5000 to all unemployed youth, enactment of an Urban Employment Guarantee Act, a crackdown on the drug crisis, and halting the merger of government schools,’ said a statement by the youth organisation.

Holding the Delhi LG responsible for unfilled vacancies and the rising number of registered unemployed in the country’s capital, DYFI president Rikta Krishnaswamy and state secretary Aman Saini said “20 lakh educated youth are registered as unemployed in Delhi's employment exchanges, with many more unregistered. Delhi has transformed into a city of unemployed and under-employed youth. For this, the Delhi government, meaning the Lieutenant Governor, is responsible.”

Recall that on September 12, 2021, the DYFI had protested at the residence of then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, demanding a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹5,000 for all unemployed youths.

“Under pressure, the Delhi government announced an allowance on 22 April 2022, but it still has not materialised into reality,” the DYFI said.

Read the full statement below:

“Naukri Do Ya Berozgari Bhatta Do” [Give Jobs or Unemployment Allowance]

Delhi Youth to Protest at LG House on September 28, 2024

On the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, hundreds of youth from Delhi will protest at the Lieutenant Governor's house under the banner of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Delhi on 28 September 2024 with the slogan "Give Jobs or Give Unemployment Allowance". DYFI Delhi State Committee will protest demanding immediate recruitment for the lakhs of vacant posts in various government departments and MCD, provision of a monthly allowance of ₹5000 to all unemployed youth, enactment of an Urban Employment Guarantee Act, a crackdown on the drug crisis, and halting the merger of government schools.

The president of the DYFI Delhi state committee, Rikta Krishnaswamy, and state secretary, Aman Saini, stated that twenty lakh educated youth are registered as unemployed in Delhi's employment exchanges, with many more unregistered. Delhi has transformed into a city of unemployed and under-employed youth. For this, the Delhi government, meaning the Lieutenant Governor, is responsible. Like the Modi government, the centre-supported Lieutenant Governor is implementing anti-youth policies. The Modi government's policies that are singularly focused on serving the interests of big capitalists are responsible for exacerbating unemployment and disenfranchising the youth from universal education.

The GNCTD Amendment Bill 2021 transferred powers related to appointments and services from the elected Kejriwal government to the LG, a central government representative. Without the LG's approval, neither appointments will be made nor unemployment allowances provided. More than 50% of posts in government departments in Delhi are vacant, amounting to around 1.5 lakh positions. According to our RTI and research, 20,000 teaching and non-teaching positions in education, over 2,000 doctors and thousands of nurses and paramedical staff in hospitals, 2,860 positions in Service Branch Grade II and III, 1,331 in LDC, 1,800 in Technical Education, 1,228 in the Transport Department, 1,000 in the Women and Child Development Department, 1,300 in PWD, and thousands of other jobs in the Delhi Jal Board and MCD are vacant. Given the rising urban population, many more government employees are required.

Instead of filling these vacancies, the LG has been firing youth from government jobs in the Civil Defense and Bus Marshal services, without pay or benefits. Government departments are plagued with contract-based employment. If the government wants to employ the youth, it should start by promptly fill these vacant government posts and end privatization and the contract system.

On 12 September 2021, DYFI Delhi protested at the Kejriwal CM residence demanding a monthly unemployment allowance of ₹5000 for all unemployed youths. Under pressure, the Delhi government announced an allowance on 22 April 2022, but it still has not materialised into reality. Furthermore, in the 2022 announcement, the allowance was restricted to unemployed youth who are graduates and postgraduates. Through this protest, we demand the immediate and unconditional implementation of the monthly allowance for all unemployed youth.

Meetings with youth are being held in local areas of various districts of Delhi, pamphlets are being distributed, and a fundraising campaign is also being run to support the movement. Following the path of struggle shown by Bhagat Singh, a strong protest will be held for jobs and unemployment allowance at the Lieutenant Governor's house on September 28, and a demand letter will be given to the Delhi government (Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister).

Rikta                                                                               Aman Saini

State President                                                             State Secretary

(9971145282)                                                                (8053573573)

 DYFI, Delhi State Committee