Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday announced an age relaxation of two years for candidates in the upcoming recruitment examinations and jobs for the kin of those killed in the Kedarnath-Badrinath floods in 2013.
He said various recruitment examinations could not be conducted for the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Gehlot was addressing a public meeting in New Stadium ground in Hindoli town of Bundi district after laying foundation stones of several developmental works including the Chambal Drinking Water Project worth Rs 954 crore in Hindoli-Nainwa assembly segment, colleges and construction of roads. The assembly seat is represented by Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Public Relations Ashok Chandna.
A large number of youths exceeded the age limit for applying to government jobs during two years of the Covid pandemic and the government decided to provide relief to them by announcing a two-year age relaxation in various examinations for government jobs, Gehlot said.
He also tweeted, "Due to corona pandemic, competitive examinations for jobs could not be conducted on time for two years, so candidates will be given two years relaxation in upper age limit in upcoming competitive examinations.".
The chief minister also announced government jobs to the next of kin of those 511 people of the state who lost their lives in the Badrinath-Kedarnath floods in Uttarakhand in June 2013.
He said he had already announced the scheme during his last tenure as the chief minister and five family members of the victims had even got jobs but it was scrapped by the next BJP government.
The BJP even removed those five persons who had got jobs on compassionate grounds, Gehlot claimed.
He also said the next budget of his government would be dedicated to youths and students of the state.
Earlier this month, Gehlot had said the state government has given jobs to about 1.25 lakh people so far in its current tenure, while about one lakh jobs are under process. Another one lakh jobs were announced in the budget of 2022-23.
He had said recruitment examinations will be conducted to ensure people get jobs on time.
Gehlot demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should declare the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) -- which would benefit 13 districts of the state -- a national project to ensure its time-bound completion.
On repeated demand to declare ERCP a national project, the Centre sent a letter to the state government to stop work on the project, which was very painful, he said.
On the occasion, Gehlot counted the achievements of his government and said medical treatment up to Rs 10 lakh is provided free to people under ‘Chiranjeevi Swasthaya Bima Yojana'. He said smart mobile phones are set to be distributed among 1.35 crore women of the state so that their children could avail online classes and they can talk to their relatives and remain updated on government schemes.
Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi, Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena, Social Justice Minister Tikaram Jully and other ministers were present on the occasion.
A large number of men, women and youths from various parts of the district attended the programme.
