PANAJI
Admitting that the Department of Labour & Employment has not conducted a survey to determine the unemployment rate in Goa, over 1.42 lakh individuals including nine transgenders are registered with the State Employment Exchange with the government claiming that all might not be in search of jobs.
“No such survey has been conducted by the Department. However, merely registering with the Employment Exchange does not mean the persons are unemployed. Therefore, the actual unemployment rate cannot be ascertained by the Department,” Minister for Labour & Employment Atanasio Monserrate said in a reply to an unstarred question tabled by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Tuesday.
Alemao asked whether the government conducted any survey to ascertain the exact number of unemployed persons in Goa while also seeking to know the unemployment rate in the last five years.
From the date of commencement of online services of Employment Exchange which is February 4, 2019, to December 31, 2022, a total of 75,684 males, 66,685 females and nine transgenders are registered with the department.
To another query, Monserrate dismissed claims that attending training at Model Career Centre under Regional Employment Exchange, Panaji would result in securing jobs in the government or private sector. He informed the House that the training is imparted for awareness and orientation purposes in a bid to increase and upgrade youth’s potential.
“Merely, attending the training would not mean any assurance of employment,” said the minister.
In November 2022, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant claimed that out of 1.1 lakhs registered with the department, around 80,000 were employed in the private sector.
