Over the past ten years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a strong majority in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament. However, this time they fell short of that mark due to their failure to address economic distress among young people and farmers.
The next government in New Delhi needs to focus on creating more jobs, especially for the youth, by implementing direct interventions such as a National Employment Policy. The current government stated that there was no plan to develop such a policy, which is a missed opportunity.
India has a high level of informal labor, with over 90 percent of the workforce in the informal economy. It is crucial to involve everyone in discussions on creating jobs and providing social security. Additionally, the government should incentivize the private sector to create more jobs.
The government’s approach to the farm sector has been problematic, with controversial farm laws causing unrest among farmers. There is a lack of focus on addressing the issues faced by the agriculture sector, which is the livelihood of a large percentage of the population.
India’s labor market faces challenges such as high youth unemployment rates and gender inequity in employment opportunities. The government’s efforts to stimulate job creation through incentives to the private sector have not been effective in reducing unemployment.
Instead of focusing on handouts, the government should prioritize creating decent work opportunities that provide freedom, equity, security, and dignity to workers. The election results show that Indian voters are seeking meaningful solutions to the country’s labor market challenges.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360infoâ„¢.