The Covid-19 pandemic caused tremendous disruption to public sector hiring but the state government is making progress in filling vacancies, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said today.
Sangma was speaking after a pressure group lashed out at the government’s performance on unemployment and filling vacant sanctioned posts.
The CM said that unemployment is not a problem specific to Meghalaya but is a global one. However, he took solace in the low levels of official unemployment.
“This challenge is not just here but throughout the world and it is a continuous challenge that all face. But compared to many other states in the country, the national survey shows Meghalaya is in a better position but we have to do more,” he maintained.
On unfilled posts, Sangma said, “We have already advertised more than 2,300 posts and interviews going on, 1,300 teachers have been appointed, which are technically vacant posts, and, overall, 4,500 different posts have been filled or are under process.”
The government, however, can only absorb so many of the thousands of youth who enter the job market every year.
That is why Meghalaya is busy promoting entrepreneurship, which the CM sees as an avenue for employment.
“In every step of the way we are moving along, whether it is promoting homestays, tourism, agriculture or the PRIME programmes where thousands of entrepreneurs have been supported and self-help groups – all these programmes are directed at creating jobs,” Sangma said.
