Care, Common Sense – Demands for govt jobs for extended family members of martyrs must be resisted

Source: The post is based on the article “Care, Common Sense – Demands for govt jobs for extended family members of martyrs must be resisted” published in The Times of India on 13th March 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 3 – employment.

Relevance: About expanding the dependents for the compassionate jobs.

News: Recently, the widows of Pulwama martyrs in Rajasthan protested demanding jobs not just for their children but also relatives. The local politicians have politicised the issue and accused the state government of failing to fulfil its promises.

The Rajasthan government rejects the accusation as it has already provided benefits to the families of Pulwama martyrs as per the state’s own scheme. The state government has a provision for ensuring a government job for martyrs’ minor children once they reach adulthood.

What is a compassionate job, and what is the procedure for compassionate employment?

The scheme for compassionate appointment under the central government has updated last year. Accordingly, the rules define a dependant family member as a spouse or son or daughter – including an adopted son or daughter- or the dependant sibling in case the martyr was unmarried.

Why expanding the dependents for compassionate job is not correct?

More demands: Expanding the definition of dependants will create Pandora’s box of demands. The state governments could be flooded with job demands from many families.

Not a solution to unemployment: The unemployment situation in the country made a view that securing a government job is the only path to employment and financial security. For instance, in 2020, the Punjab government made exemptions to allot government jobs to the married siblings of three unmarried Galwan martyrs.

The government has to create awareness that government jobs are not a panacea for the unemployment problem.