Budget 2020: Govt departments to create over 2.6 lakh jobs by 2021 amid criticism from Opposition on unemployment

New Delhi: Amid a chorus of criticism by Opposition parties over lack of employment generation, the Union Budget presented on Saturday estimated that more than 2.62 lakh jobs are likely to be created between March 2019 and March 2021 in various organisations. The strength of government establishments was 32,62,908 as on 1 March 2019, which will increase to 35,25,388 by the same date in 2021 — an increase of 2,62,480, it said. The Congress and other parties have been criticising the Narendra Modi government over lack of job creation, especially after demonetisation of high-value currency notes in November 2016. [caption id=“attachment_6872281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. News18[/caption] The Budget documents give a break-up of the jobs likely to created in central government departments between 2019 and March 2021. The highest 79,353 jobs are estimated to be created in policing. As many as 22,046 new jobs are likely to be created in the Defence Ministry (civil). Its strength was 70,978 in March 2019 and it will increase to 93,024 by the same month in 2021. The workforce of Home Ministry (excluding cabinet, police forces, union territories) is likely to be increased by 8,200 to take its strength to 26,564 by March 2021. As many as 3,886 jobs are estimated to be created in the Culture Ministry, 3,903 in Department of Space, 3,243 in the Department of Revenue, 2,581 in Ministry of Earth Sciences, 2,167 in External Affairs Ministry, 2,136 in Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and 1,347 in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology by that time. Over 2,300 more personnel will be added in the workforce of Atomic Energy Department over the two-year period. A total of 1,766 new jobs are estimated to be created by March next year in the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare. There will be an addition of over 1,600 personnel in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting between March 2019 and March 2021. As many as 2,684 more personnel are estimated to be added to the Personnel Ministry by March next year. The Railway Ministry will not see increase in its head count by March next year, according to the budget document. The Budget is woven around three prominent themes including one of aspirational India in which all sections of the society seek better standards of living, with access to health, education and better jobs, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech. Follow full coverage of Union Budget 2020-21 here