No dearth of jobs in country but North Indians not qualified enough: Santosh Gangwar

His remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing an economic slowdown and rise in unemployment across sectors.

Union minister Santosh Gangwar kicked up a controversy on Saturday when while addressing a programme in Bareilly he said there were enough jobs in the country but the job seekers, especially those in North India, were not qualified enough.

Union minister Santosh Gangwar said there were enough jobs in the country but the job seekers, especially those in North India, were not qualified enough (ANI Photo)

Addressing a press conference at the IVRI auditorium, the minister, who was highlighting the achievements of the Modi government on completion of its 100 days, said, “Desh mein rozgaar ki kami nahi hai. Humare Uttar Bharat mein jo recruitment karne aate hain is baat ka sawaal karte hain ki jis padd (position) ke liye hum rakh rahe hain, uski quality ka vyakti humein kum milta hai (There is no dearth of jobs in the country. People who come to North India to recruit say that we find only a few candidates of the quality that is needed to fill up the vacancies that we have).”

His remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing an economic slowdown and rise in unemployment across sectors.

“There is no recession in the country despite the global slowdown,” said Gangwar adding that merger of banks was a major reform initiated by the Modi government.

He said another major initiative on which the central government was working was to ensure the supply of piped drinking water to each and every household in the country by 2024. He said that out of 18 crore families, only 3.52 crore had the facility of piped drinking water supply.

Referring to watering down of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir and ban on instant triple talaq as milestone decisions of the Centre, he said, “The Modi government got 35 bills passed in the last session of the Parliament, which was a major achievement in itself.”