MSc Math Student is Getting Sweeper's Post, Says DMK Member on Unemployment in India

New Delhi: A MSc Mathematics student is getting job of a sweeper at the Madras Municipal Corporation, a Lok Sabha member said on Monday as he sought to know steps taken by the government to deal with the unemployment situation.

During the Question Hour, DMK leader A Raja also mentioned that a person, who is a mechanical engineer and a MBA, is getting the job of a 'Khalasi' job in Railways. 'Khalasi' is generally a helper.

Many Opposition members asked supplementaries related to the employment situation in the country when the House took up a question on 'Registerd Unemployment Persons'.

While mentioning that unemployment rate is at a 45-year-high, Raja said pointed out the case of an MSc Mathematics student getting a sweeper's post.

Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said there are various central government schemes for employment and steps are being taken to tackle unemployment.

Congress member Adoor Prakash wanted to know whether there was a large increase in the number of registered unemployed persons in the country.

"... the number of job seekers, all of whom may not necessarily be unemployed, registered on live register of employment exchanges in the country to the extent available were 4.35 crore, 4.34 crore and 4.24 crore during 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively," Gangwar said in a written reply.

The minister gave details based on information received from states and Union Territories.

In April 2016, the Labour Bureau initiated Revamped Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) by extending scope and coverage with the objective of measure relative change in employment situation over successive quarters in sizeable segment of non-farm industrial economy covering eight sectors.

These sectors are manufacturing, construction, trade, transport, education, health, accommodation and restaurants and IT/BPO having 10 or more workers.

Gangwar also said there has been a "total positive change in employment from April 2016 to October 2017 of 6.16 lakh workers in the selected eight sectors of the economy," he said.

Rahul Gandhi Flags NPAs, Seeks List of Wilful Defaulters

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday raised in Lok Sabha the issue of bad loans and sought a list of 50 top wilful defaulters.

However, the House soon witnessed noisy scenes and a walkout by Congress members as Gandhi was not allowed to ask a second supplementary related to wilful defaulters during the Question Hour.

The protests came after Speaker Om Birla announced the end of Question Hour at noon as the designated time for it is 11 am to noon.

While asking the first supplementary, Gandhi said he wanted to know the list of 50 top wilful defaulters, including funds given and the amount written off by banks but did not get a proper answer in the written reply.

"The Indian economy is going through a difficult period. Banking system is facing difficulties, banking is failing and many more banks are going to fail. One of the main reasons for the failure of banks is stealing of bank money by a large number of people.

“The prime minister had said those who have stolen the money will be brought back and punished. But I have not got the answer to my simple question," he said.

When Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur started replying to the question, Gandhi and Congress leader in the House, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, protested, saying Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was present in the House, should reply.

However, Speaker Om Birla said normally the junior ministers answer during the Question Hour.

Thakur said the Congress was trying to put the blame on the NDA government for irregularities committed in banks during the previous UPA regime.

"The list of all bank defaulters above Rs 25 lakh loans is available on the website of the Central Information Commission. I have the list and if the Chair allows me, I am ready to table it in the House," he said.

Referring to the recent Yes Bank crisis, Thakur said the union finance minister had already said banks are safe and the money deposited in Yes Bank is also safe.

After the Speaker ended the Question Hour and moved to the next item of the agenda, Gandhi strongly protested saying he should be given the opportunity to ask the second supplementary, as is the norm.

However, the Speaker ignored Gandhi's request and continued with the business of the House.

At least a dozen Congress members rushed to the Well of the House and started sloganeering saying grave injustice has been done to the Congress leader.

As the Speaker continued to ignore the protests, the Congress members staged a walk out.