Unemployment
The problem of unemployment is a worldwide Phenomenon and even the most advanced countries are facing it. But the immensity of the problem is greater than anywhere else. Most of the socialist countries provided the right to work in their constitution and their Governments have bound themselves to provide employment to everyone. The right to work is a fundamental right there.
Though the Indian constitution does not provide it as a fundamental right, it is found in the directive principles of the state policy. It is stated that the state would provide every person with adequate livelihood. Even after so many years of planning, the problem of unemployment is hovering on the economic scene and threatens to jeopardise the very edifice of our economic and social life.
Every political concept like democracy, freedom or liberty has little meaning for those who have no means to satisfy their economic need. The problem of unemployment makes the young men and women frustrated and disappointed. Much of the indiscipline and problems of law and order are attributed to this situation.
As par statistics there are about 64 lakhs of people in the country without employment. There are many types of unemployed. They are the seasonally unemployed found in the agriculture communities in the villages. There is the partially unemployed person who work for less than twenty-four hours in the week. The third types are those who have no employment at all even after passing out of the schools and colleges with merit. The problem of the educated unemployed is comparatively more serious and should be tackled on a war ‘footing for a great deal of national money has been spent on their education and training.
There are many causes for the unemployment. The first is the increasing population. The second is the defective education. The third is inadequate industrialization. The fourth is the tendency of our educated youth to seek Government service or other white collared work. Large scale influx of refugees from other countries have further aggravated this problem.
There should be a job oriented education. Technical education must be given priority over literary education. Large scale industries should be set up in the public sector. Training should be given to young men and women for self-employment of all these measures checking population growth is the most important one.
To solve the rural unemployment, the rural road construction programme, expansion of irrigation works and provision of electric power to the villages have been suggested.
However, Government’s efforts alone are not sufficient. Everybody has a responsibility in this task. The youth must not always be seeking white collar jobs. The educated young men can start their own ventures and provide-employment for others. No work shall be decried.
