Changes in recruitment system ended corruption, nepotism, says PM Modi

Modi said that earlier the Staff Selection Board used to take 15-18 months for new recruitment while it takes only six to eight months now

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Tuesday that changes brought by his government in the recruitment system have ended the possibility of corruption and nepotism as he gave away appointment letters to over 71,000 people at a 'Rozgar Mela'.

From applying for government jobs to the announcement of results, the entire process has been made online, he said while elaborating on employment opportunities and infrastructure development ushered in by the BJP dispensation at the Centre in the last nine years.

The prime minister underscored the importance of today's date as nine years ago on this date -- May 16 -- Lok Sabha Elections results were announced.

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"The journey which started with the spirit of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' is working for a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India)," he said, adding that today is also Sikkim's statehood day.

He referred to his recent meetings with CEOs of leading global companies, including Walmart, Apple, Foxconn and Cisco, to assert that there is "unprecedented positivity" about industry and investment in the country.

The prime minister cited EPFO net payroll figures to say that over 4.5 crore people have got jobs since 2018-19 as formal employment has been growing.

FDI and the country's record export have been creating employment opportunities in every corner of India, he said, noting that the nature of jobs has also been changing with his government constantly supporting the emerging sectors.

The country has seen a revolution in the start-up sector and their numbers have risen to nearly a lakh from a few hundred before 2014, the year the BJP came to power at the Centre, he said, adding that they are estimated to have provided a minimum 10 lakh jobs.

Rozgar Melas by the governments at the Centre and BJP-ruled states show their commitment towards the youth, he said, asserting that it has prioritised the recruitment process in the last nine years by making it faster, transparent and unbiased.

"The possibility of corruption and nepotism in recruitment for government jobs has now ended," Modi said. Interviews for Group C and Group D have also been abolished, he added.

Highlighting the difficulties faced in the recruitment process earlier, he said the Staff Selection Board used to take 15-18 months for new recruitment while it takes only six to eight months now.

During the last nine years, government policies have been made keeping in mind the employment possibilities. Initiatives in the fields of modern infrastructure, rural push or expansion of the basic needs of life, every policy of the Government of India is creating new opportunities for the youth, he said.

Modi told the new employees that the government has spent about Rs 34 lakh crore on capital expenditure and on basic facilities, noting that Rs 10 lakh crore was allocated for this in this year's budget.

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This amount is resulting in modern infrastructure like new highways, airports, new rail routes and bridges among others and is creating new jobs in the country, he said.

The speed and scale of country's the development metrics are unprecedented in the history of Independent India. In the last nine years, 40,000 km of rail lines got electrified compared to 20,000 km in the seven decades before that, he said.

Citing development figures in the last nine years, he said the length of rural roads has risen to 7.25-lakh km from 4-lakh km while the number of airports has gone up from 74 to nearly 150.

Construction of over 4 crore pucca houses under a government housing scheme for the poor has also created a lot of employment opportunities, Modi said.

He also said that the number of universities has grown to 1,100 from around 720 in 2014 while there are now 700 medical colleges against 400 earlier.

Highlighting the technological developments that have made the lives of people easier, Modi gave examples of app-based taxi services that have become a lifeline for the cities, efficient online delivery systems that have increased employment, and expansion in the drone industry which has helped in spraying of pesticides to delivery of medicines and expanding city gas distribution system whose coverage has gone up from 60 to 600 cities.

The government has disbursed loans worth more than Rs 23 lakh crore under the Mudra Yojna since 2014, helping citizens in establishing new businesses, buying taxis or expanding their existing establishments. Approximately 8-9 crore citizens have become first-time entrepreneurs after availing of loans under the scheme.

"The Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign is based on the creation of employment through manufacturing in the country," PM Modi said, adding the Central government is providing assistance of about Rs 2 lakh crore for manufacturing under the Production Linked Incentive scheme.