Tears, sweets and hope: Congress’ Rozgar Mela creates a buzz in Bihar

Hundreds of job-seeking youths from throughout Bihar converged at Maha Rozgar Mela organised the Congress celebration at Gyan Bhawan in Patna on Saturday (19 July). Some had travelled over 1,000 kilometres by practice to succeed in the venue, whereas others had queued up since daybreak, hoping to be among the many first to enter.

Held simply months forward of the state meeting elections, the occasion has not solely created a buzz within the capital however has additionally sparked critical conversations in political circles.

Seen as a shift towards solution-oriented politics, the Rozgar Mela, organised by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), is being hailed as a daring and constructive intervention in Bihar’s unemployment disaster.

By 1 p.m., over 10,000 utility kinds had been processed. Hundreds had been interviewed on the spot, and a whole bunch acquired immediate job provides. Some candidates, overwhelmed with emotion, had been seen distributing sweets outdoors the venue.

One such candidate, a person from Madhubani whose father is critically unwell and who owns no land, broke down in tears. “This job is a brand new lease of life for me,” he mentioned.

Round 200 corporations took half within the occasion—marking it as one of many largest private-sector job festivals ever held in Bihar. From SBI Life Insurance coverage and Kotak Mahindra to a variety of agro-based corporations and startups, recruiters spanned various industries.

Himanshu Kumar, who has a diploma from ITI, was employed by First Fly Company Administration Providers. His month-to-month wage will likely be Rs 19,500 after deductions. “It’s an enormous day for me,” he instructed Nationwide Herald, expressing gratitude to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress celebration.

One other candidate with a diploma was employed by the Adecco. He mentioned that two such melas a month might drastically cut back unemployment within the state.

Sonu, an MBA graduate from Nalanda—chief minister Nitish Kumar’s residence turf—was nonetheless ready for his flip. He mentioned he has been unemployed for 3 years.

“Publish-Covid, job alternatives have drastically declined. The Nitish Kumar authorities has failed us,” he mentioned.