3.95 lakh, including 40,000 graduates, seek sweeper’s job in Haryana

The unemployment crisis is so sweeping in election-bound Haryana that 3.95 lakh people have applied for the job of sweepers in a state-run corporation, including 46,000 graduates and post-graduates.

With hardly any other employment available, hundreds of thousands of young men and women desperate for work are applying for the most unskilled menial jobs.

When the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam sought contractual sweepers, more than 39,990 graduates, 6,112 post graduates and 1,17,144 who had studied till Class 12 applied.

Mass unemployment in Haryana

A total of 3.95 lakh individuals have applied for the job, media reports say.

A contractual sweeper hired by the government department, boards and corporations will get about Rs 15,000 per month.

The job for which so many have applied involves cleaning, sweeping and removing garbage from public areas, roads and buildings.

Wanting to be sweepers

Rachana Devi, 29, a graduate in nursery teachers training and currently doing post-graduation in history from Rajasthan, is one of those who has applied for a sweeper’s job.

“There are no jobs. I am sitting idle at home. So, I applied for a sweeper’s job knowing well what it entailed,’’ she told The Hindustan Times.

Manisha, an auxiliary nursing midwife, and her husband Danish Kumar, who holds a Bachelor of Education degree, say they are willing to work as contractual sweepers because of their financial condition.

More and more are jobless

“We are unemployed. I have also applied for the job of computer operator and a roadways bus conductor… As of now fill up online forms of people on my laptop and get Rs 50 a form,” Kumar told the daily.

Sumit Sharma, a post graduate in pharmacy who is pursuing masters in psychology, is ready to be a sweeper as she lost money in business and now works as a photo copier.

Another person in the same category is Rahul Dhenwal, who too has done the B.Ed and is pursuing masters in library science but is jobless.

Haryana government’s claims

Ajeet Kaushik of Jind has studied till Class 12 and works as travel agent. But he too is willing to be a sweeper as it would give him the security of a government job and help him get married.

BJP leader Praveen Attrey, the media secretary to chief minister Nayab Saini, said that for the last 10 years the BJP government in Haryana has given 1.45 lakh regular government jobs.

Besides, 37 lakh youths were provided self-employment and job opportunities in the private sector. And about 1.20 lakh were hired on contractual basis.