Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi chief minister and national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party, said on Tuesday that the AAP will introduce a law reserving 80 percent of private jobs in Goa to Goans. Besides that, if the AAP is elected to power, Kejriwal has promised an unemployed allowance to the families with an unemployment youth with Rs 3000 per month and households with mining and tourism dependents an allowance of Rs 5000 per month until their jobs are restored.

Asked by many when he arrived in Goa on Monday, Kejriwal spoke of his desire to drum up support before the Assembly polls begin next year.

At a press conference held in Mapusa, Kejriwal explained that Haryana has passed a law that reserves 80 percent of jobs for the local population. “We will study that and bring about appropriate amendments according to Goan conditions.”

According to him, AAP has a detailed plan for Goa, with seven announcements to be made concerning the employment situation in Goa. Kejriwal said the party will also provide an unemployment allowance of Rs 3000 per month to the families that have an unemployed youth and Rs 5000 per month to the families which are dependent on mining and tourism until their jobs are restored. “We will arrange for one unemployed youth from every Goa house to get employment,” he added.

In response to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's introduction of door-to-door services in Goa, Kejriwal said, “He’s copying what was being done in Delhi. Why vote for duplicate, when you can vote for the original?”

Kejriwal further said that the party will set up a transparent system. “I have been told by Goan youth that to get a government job in Goa, you have to know the MLA, be his friend or party worker. Nothing happens without influence or bribes. We will put an end to this. A common Goan youth will have the right to a government job in Goa.”

“We will start a skill university in Goa like we have in Delhi. Here, any child can learn any skill he/she wants after Class 12 after which they can get a job or start work on their own. Until they get employment, they will be our responsibility,” Kejriwal said. Additionally, the AAP's plan called for building schools, hospitals, clinics in villages, repairing roads, restarting mining and taking advantage of infinite tourism opportunities.

AAP had launched a campaign earlier this month to raise awareness about the unemployment problem in Goa, and asked concerned citizens not to vote for parties that fail to provide jobs. “With unemployment at its peak, Goa’s youth are not getting jobs. Government jobs are available only to people with money and connections. Coming to Goa to discuss this issue with the People of Goa,” Kejriwal had tweeted on Monday.

Confident about AAP receiving a majority in 2022 Goa assembly elections, Kejriwal said, “Slowly we are becoming the first option. I have seen a couple of surveys. At the moment, BJP is number one in those TV surveys, AAP is number two and the Congress seems to be collapsing. There are still five months to go for elections. I am hopeful that the people of Goa will elect us with full majority on the strength of our work in Delhi and the campaign here”.

Image source: Lokmat News English