With a target to provide 50,000 jobs to the state’s youth, Punjab Government is planning to hold sixth state level mega job fairs in September.

“Under the flagship scheme ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’, the Government has decided to organize the State Level Mega Job Fairs from September 24 to 30 across the state,” said the state Employment Generation Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday adding that as per the Chief Minister’s directions, the Job Fairs would cover all districts following all precautionary guidelines and taking all safety measures regarding Covid-19.

“Both virtual and physical platforms would be used for the event this year due to the corona pandemic,” he said.

Channi said that only such venues would be selected for job fairs by the District Administration where there is possibility of following COVID-19 protocols and guidelines issued by the competent authorities. The number of candidates or people, that could be allowed to be present at the Rozgar Mela venue at one particular time, would be ascertained and documented keeping in view the prevalent Covid-19 guidelines.

“In case the situation of COVID-19 deteriorates and conducting physical Rozgar Mela is found non-feasible or risky, the process till the stage of initial online participation would be undertaken and final physical part would be conducted post Covid-19,” he said.

Channi said that the Department has been directed to arrange 75,000 vacancies for this year job fairs. “The officials would reach employers of private sectors in the State, other states and at the international level.

Details from employers would be collected as they want to conduct virtual interviews, group discussion or online test or physical interviews, group discussion or test or combination of both,” he said.

The Minister said that candidates and employers, who don't have means or technology to undertake such interviews etc, they will be facilitated to undergo such interviews at District Bureau of Employment and Enterprises (DBEE) office as per the protocols for COVID-19.

A state-level Self-employment awareness and facilitation drive would also be run in October, and maximum facilitation to the youth would be provided for self-employment during this drive.

“Hosting of vacancies and applying by job seekers will begin from August 28, and the last date for the job seeker to apply online is September 15,” said the state Employment Generation secretary Rahul Tiwari, adding that all details of job seekers and vacancies collected from the employers would be made available on the portal www.pgrkam.com.