Rajasthan CM announces recruitment to 26,000 posts, poverty-free village, and employment schemes

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced recruitment to 26,000 posts in the State government next year. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Wednesday (March 12, 2025) announced recruitment to 26,000 posts in the State government next year and the initiation of a youth employment promotion scheme as well as a poverty-free village scheme to resolve the issues of unemployment and destitution. Mr. Sharma made the announcements in the Assembly while replying to the debate on the 2025-26 State Budget.

The Finance and Appropriation Bills were passed in the House with voice vote after Mr. Sharma’s two-hour-long speech. The Chief Minister said the passage of the budget, presented on February 19, would allow the government to access funds for realising its objective to make Rajasthan a developed State. “Health, education and employment will be the priority areas for the State government,” he said.

Mr. Sharma said the new recruitments would include 10,000 school teachers, 4,000 Patwaris (revenue officials) and 1,750 Forest Department’s employees. Under the youth employment promotion scheme, one-time financial assistance of ₹10,000 will be given, while ₹350 crore will be allocated for the first phase of poverty-free village scheme for benefiting the below poverty line families.

Mr. Sharma targeted the Opposition Congress on several issues, saying its leaders lacked the vision for development and were embroiled in “internal conspiracy”. Referring to the challenge posed by Congress leader and former Minister Shanti Dhariwal to probe into the projects started by him, Mr. Sharma said the State government would investigate the river front project in Kota and appoint a high-level committee to inquire into the distribution of leases and works approved by him.

The Chief Minister praised the “selfless work” of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and condemned its criticism by those who could not match its contribution to the society and the nation. He said his grooming in the RSS had enabled him to serve the State during the last one-and-a-half years and would pave the way for fulfilling the promises in future.

Mr. Sharma expressed disappointment over the Congress leaders’ boycott of launching ceremony of the Constitution Club, which was constructed during the previous Congress regime. “The Opposition tried to mislead the people by describing it as an inauguration, which was already done. It was the shubharambh [sacred launch], which is our tradition. The 8-crore people of Rajasthan are not going to forgive them,” he said.

Mr. Sharma also criticised the past investment summits of the Congress government, saying the investment of ₹12.50 lakh crore promised in them had never materialised. “In contrast, our government signed memorandums of understanding worth ₹35 lakh crore in the Rising Rajasthan Summit, and the pacts of ₹2.24 lakh crore have already been implemented,” he said.

Reacting sharply to Mr. Sharma’s reply to the budget, Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra said the recruitment to only 10,000 posts in the Education Department would be insufficient when there were 1.25 lakh vacancies at present. He said Mr. Sharma’s praise of the RSS was aimed at “saving [his own] chair”, which was also evident in the enhancement of assistance for the RSS-run educational institutions.

“The payment of social security pensions are delayed by three to four months… There is an outcry in the entire State because of unavailability of power and water, and the farmers are unhappy over the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s breach of promise of procurement of millet on minimum support prices,” Mr. Dotasra said.