Rahul Gandhi announces unemployment stipend for youth

Belagavi: Leader of the Indian National Congress Rahul Gandhi chose a fine occasion to announce one of the most practical 'Guarantees' of his party and officially blew the poll bugle in this historic city for Congress. It was 100 years back that Mahatma Gandhi took over as the INC president at the 39th Congress Working Committee session in the same city.

INC president Mallikarjun Kharge described the launching of the Yuva Kranti programme of INC today by Rahul Gandhi who is making his first visit to Karnataka after the Bharat Jodo Yatra, as a significant event.

"Rahul Gandhi has taken the 3700 kilometres of walk through the tip of the nation to the peak of the nation brushing aside the vagaries of the weather and enduring extreme challenges during the BJY. It was also a historic event" Kharge told. As a promise, we will fill up all the 2.25 lakh vacancies in the government and private sector in Karnataka he declared.

Releasing the 'Yuva Nidhi' as a part of the Yuva Kranti programme Rahul Gandhi said "During my Bharat Jodo Yatra my young friends have told me that it was so difficult to get jobs in Karnataka be it government or private sectors. That day I determined that this has to be rectified. I have seen the despair in their eyes which was sad. The Yuva Kranti and Yuva Nidhi are the result of that deep thought"he added.

Commenting on the 'reign of corruption' in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi said "Contractor's association president had written to the Prime Minister of India, but no action has been taken on the allegations of 40 per cent commission. In addition, SI job scam, School teacher scams and many other job scams have been reported from Karnataka which means the present government in Karnataka has not addressed the issues related to the youth and instead was engaged in corruption".

He said the fruits of progress and development have been designed to go to only a few people like the Adani group in the country. Airports, sea ports, roads and infrastructure works are being reserved for only a few people who pay. All works are assigned or awarded to only two or three people. Since the youth have told me about their employment problems we have devised the unemployment stipend of Rs. 3000 for every graduate and R.1500 for diploma holders and I promise the youth of the state that we will fill up 10 lakh vacancies in the first six months.

CLP leader S Siddaramaiah and KPCC president DK Shivakumar also spoke on the occasion. Over 20,000 people, mostly youth were among the audience.