PM Modi, Vasundhara Raje betrayed jobless youths: Congress
Jaipur, Nov 12: Congress leader Randeep Surjewala Monday accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Rajasthan of "betraying" the jobless youths of the country and the state.
The Congress chief spokesperson also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered the labour department to stop releasing employment figures to "cover its failures".
"After coming to power, the BJP government at the Centre promised to generate two crore jobs annually in the country, while in Rajasthan, 15 lakh jobs were promised in five years," Surjewala said at a press conference here in the poll-bound state.
But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments betrayed jobless youngsters. People of the country and the state are feeling deceived and cheated, Surjewala said.
The Congress leader further said that in Rajasthan, which goes to polls on December 7, the unemployment rate was double that of the national average and the state ranked fourth in the unemployment index.
"The prime minister asks youths to fry pakodas and sell pan, while the chief minister calls protesting jobless youths 'lafangas'. What is the future of the youth of this country?," he said.
Surjewala alleged that the state government was providing bogus figure of providing over 44 lakh jobs in five years.
He said of the total 1.50 lakh state government jobs, notifications for 1.10 lakh were released by the previous Congress government.
Citing a report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Surjewala said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had no right to remain in office due to her alleged involvement in the employment scam in the state government's skill training programmes.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
