Over 2 lakh jobs 'eliminated' from PSUs, govt 'trampling on hopes of youngsters': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi, Jun 18: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that over two lakh jobs have been "eliminated" from PSUs and alleged the government was "trampling" on the hopes of youngsters to benefit a few "crony capitalist friends".
Gandhi said Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) used to be the pride of India and the dream of every youngster for employment, but today, they are "not the priority of the government".
"Employment in PSUs of the country has come down from 16.9 lakh in 2014 to only 14.6 lakh in 2022. Do jobs decrease in a progressing country? 1,81,127 jobs lost in BSNL; 61,928 in SAIL; 34,997 in MTNL; 29,140 in SECL; 28,063 in FCI; 21,120 in ONGC," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Hitting out at the government, Gandhi said those who made false promises of providing two crore jobs every year "eliminated" more than two lakh jobs instead of increasing their numbers.
"On top of this, contract recruitment has almost doubled in these institutions. Is increasing contract employees not a way of taking away the constitutional right of reservation? Is this a conspiracy to privatise these companies," the Congress leader asked.
"Industrialists' loans waived and government jobs eliminated from PSUs! What kind of 'Amrit Kaal' is this," he added.
If this really is 'Amrit Kaal', then why are jobs disappearing like this, Gandhi further asked.
"The country is grappling with record unemployment under this government as the hopes of lakhs of youngsters are being trampled for the benefit of a few crony capitalist friends," he alleged.
If the PSUs of India get the right environment and support from the government, they are capable of boosting both the economy and employment, Gandhi stressed.
PSUs are the property of the country and the people, he said, adding they have to be promoted so that they can strengthen the path of India's progress.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also slammed the government, saying the 'tamasha' of the prime minister's 'Rozgar Mela' was "rubbing salt on the wounds" of lakhs of youngsters wandering in search of jobs.
"Next time this tamasha happens, remember these truths that the prime minister will never accept: The PM is selling off the country's prized national assets to his chosen friends like Adani to help monopolise large parts of India's economy.
"At a time when the Modi government has destroyed more than two lakh jobs in public sector enterprises alone and crores more people need jobs, distributing appointment letters for regular recruitments on already approved posts is a crude joke," Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.
"The shrinking of public sector jobs is particularly harmful to Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs. Reservation has helped lakhs of families secure a livelihood and avoid humiliation," he said.
पीएसयू भारत की शान हुआ करते थे और रोज़गार के लिए हर युवा का सपना हुआ करते थे। मगर, आज ये सरकार की प्राथमिकता नहीं हैं।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 18, 2023
देश के पीएसयू में रोज़गार, 2014 में 16.9 लाख से कम हो कर 2022 में मात्र 14.6 लाख रह गए हैं। क्या एक प्रगतिशील देश में रोज़गार घटते हैं?
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SC asks states, UTs to prepare action plan to implement guidelines for intensive care services
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has asked all the states and Union Territories to prepare a "realistic and practical" action plan to implement the guidelines necessary as a minimum standard for intensive care units.
The apex court was informed that "Guidelines for Organisation and Delivery of Intensive Care Services", on which there is consensus and which is practical, implementable and necessary as a minimum standard for an ICU, has been prepared.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan said copies of the guidelines should be shared with all the states and UTs.
"Moving further, as an immediate measure, let all the additional chief secretaries/secretaries ... heading the department of health and medical education in the states and the UTs, convene a meeting of all experts involved in this exercise to prepare an action plan for implementation of the guidelines. Such a plan shall be realistic and practical," the bench said in its April 20 order.
The top court was hearing a matter relating to healthcare services, including guidelines for the treatment of patients in the ICU or critical care unit.
The bench said five basic issues shall be identified and prioritised in the first instance.
"The challenge ... lies in determining what ought to be treated as absolutely essential and mandatory; accordingly, an initial list of five basic requirements, in terms of priority, relating to both manpower and equipment/logistics, shall be prepared," it said.
It said a methodology should also be formulated for implementation on the ground, and more importantly, a mechanism to ensure compliance and monitoring of the implementation.
"We expect the exercise to commence immediately and the first meeting to be held within one week from today. We direct that the meeting shall be attended personally by the concerned additional chief secretary/secretary ... heading the department of health and medical education in the states and the UTs," the bench said.
It said the report prepared pursuant to the deliberations should be forwarded by the respective states and UTs to the Secretary of the Department of Health, Government of India, who in turn would circulate it to all the states and UTs.
The bench said thereafter, a meeting of all concerned should be convened where a final common agreed draft shall be prepared and circulated.
"A final report/blueprint/recommendation shall be prepared, which shall be placed before this court on the next date," it said, adding that the entire exercise should be completed within three weeks.
"Let the Ministry of Health, Government of India, formally issue the guidelines placed before us today, to the states and UTs concerned by way of an advisory. A copy of it shall also be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Health, Government of India," the bench said, while posting the matter for further hearing on May 18.
During the hearing, it was suggested that for future requirements, the nursing staff should be trained to handle such situations since they remain with the patient round the clock, unlike doctors who may visit periodically.
"We fully endorse the suggestion, which is not only pragmatic but also imperative. Accordingly, the Indian Nursing Council and the Para Medical Council of India are impleaded as party respondents," the bench said.
It said on the next date, the newly added respondents shall come up with a plan indicating how they propose to augment the courses or curriculum and training imparted by them so that persons emerging from institutions recognised by them are capable of managing and handling situations in the ICUs.
