Unemployment will impact Goa's way of life: Sardesai

Panaji, Feb 11 Goa Forward President and MLA Vijai Sardesai on Saturday said that if the unemployment issue of the coastal state is not resolved then it will directly impact Goa's way of life tomorrow.

While addressing a press conference in South Goa, former deputy chief minister Sardesai targeted the BJP government over its failure to tackle the issue.

"Unemployment is a silent killer of our society. I warn the Pramod Sawant government that if it's not tackled today, it will directly impact Goa's way of life tomorrow, and we will realise it only when we see the dire consequences in other areas like crime," he said.

He questioned that the government is claiming that the state is leaping ahead in start-ups and entrepreneurship, then why is the unemployment rate at 16.2 per cent.

"During a Job Mela held in November only 557 applicants out of 14,000 got offer letters," Sardesai said, adding that the government should focus on ideas to create jobs.

"The Goa government's indifference, disregard and callousness in addressing the unemployment issue is pushing Goa to a grave situation that will have repercussions on all aspects of Goan life like law and order, social stability, migration and economic inequity," he further said.

He demanded that the government publish and notify an employment policy that sets protocols for employment data collection, and set up an inter-ministerial monitoring and coordination committee.

"Offer at least 10 courses under skills development for each of the core sectors of tourism, mining, manufacturing, fishing, and construction. Increase the expenditure on skills development by allocating more funds for capital expenditure towards constructing new training institutes and expanding existing ones," he said.

He said that the government must shed their lethargy and disinterest immediately and put in all the resources that they have before joblessness becomes uncontrollable, and turn into a long term economic and social issue.

"Our government is in denial, and does not want to accept responsibility for the drastic unemployment situation in the state. Even if they do, they don't have the competence to tackle it. They don't even collect data on employment and when they do, it is flawed," Sardesai said.

Sardesai said that the government's skill development programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna and apprenticeship schemes are failing because Pramod Sawant is not committed to these central schemes. "Initiate PMKYV courses meant for graduates to gain employment," he demanded.

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