Karnataka Vows Scam-Free Job Recruitment Amid Youth Protests

He has urged the youth to remain confident and said the government is committed to resolving their concerns.

"The Congress government is working to fill vacant posts without any scams. Youth should remain confident. We will resolve your problems. We will discuss this in the upcoming Cabinet meeting and convey a message to you soon. We have filled posts, we are filling them, and we remain committed to continuing the process," Shivakumar said.

He was responding to questions from the media near the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Responding to a question about protests by youth in Dharwad demanding recruitment to government posts, he said, "When the BJP was in power, it could not fill vacant posts. Many scams took place during their tenure. We understand the pain of the youth. Our government is working to fill vacant posts. This is our priority."

"We have prepared a recruitment plan. Institutions, including the Karnataka Public Service Commission, have been given the responsibility to fill posts. Recruitment is underway in teaching and health departments. There are some hurdles regarding internal reservations. We also introduced the Yuvanidhi scheme to empower unemployed youth," he said.

When asked about the deadline given to Bengaluru Metro Railway Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to expand the Metro network to 175 kilometres by 2027, Shivakumar said, "We are conducting surveys in this regard. We will fulfil the promises made on Metro expansion. I will soon meet the Union Minister to seek clarity on the double-decker project. We are committed to expanding the Metro network to benefit the public. This is one of our government's key objectives."

Responding to a question about pending Bills across departments, he said, "During the tenure of former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, many projects were approved without assessing the financial condition. This has led to the present situation. We had advised contractors not to take up works due to lack of funds, but some still proceeded and are now facing difficulties."

When asked about contractors planning protests against the government, he said, "I will discuss the matter with them."

It may be recalled that thousands of students, members of the All Karnataka State Student Association (AKSSA), and unemployed youths staged a massive protest in Dharwad on Tuesday, demanding that the Karnataka government immediately fill vacant posts in various state departments.

The BJP had called for a protest in support of the unemployed youths, intensifying pressure on the Karnataka government.

Leader of Opposition, R. Ashoka, commenting on the protest while speaking to the media, alleged in Chitradurga that the state government has failed to address unemployment despite having clearance to fill thousands of vacant posts.

He said that more than 2.5 lakh government posts are currently vacant in Karnataka, and the finance department had cleared recruitment for 65,000 posts nearly six months ago. However, no interviews have been conducted so far.

- IANS