PM Modi gives Bengal 5 employment guarantees ahead of Phase 2 voting: What are they?

Ahead of Phase 2 of voting in West Bengal and on the last day of campaigning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the state five employment guarantees as he slammed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government's “Maha Jungle Raj”.

Exuding confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party  (BJP) will form the government in the state after winning the Assembly election, PM Modi said he has sensed the mood of the people. “This is my last rally in this election, and wherever I have gone in West Bengal, I have seen the mood of the people. I am returning with the confidence that after the results on May 4, I will have to come back to attend the BJP's oath-taking ceremony,” he said.

The five employment guarantees

PM Modi promised to complete the recruitment process for government jobs on time. He also pledged to provide 7th Pay Commission benefits, distribute employment letters on time and implement the newly passed flagship employment scheme: Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin).

He said, “After May 4, five key employment-related initiatives will be implemented swiftly in Bengal. Government recruitment in Bengal will be completed on schedule, following a transparent process. Appointment letters will be distributed to young people at employment fairs.”

“All vacant government posts will be filled promptly. Government employees will be freed from the fear imposed by the TMC and will receive the full benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission. The creative economy will be expanded with the establishment of content creator labs in schools and colleges across Bengal,” he said.

PM Narendra Modi also said in his speech that a 125-day employment guarantee would be provided in rural areas, along with a commitment to implement the PM Vishwakarma Yojana and PM Matsya Sampada Yojana.

“The BJP government will implement the VB-GRAM G law, which ensures employment in villages. Urban street vendors will receive the full benefits of the PM Svanidhi Yojana, including access to bank assistance. These aren't just promises. This is Modi's guarantee,” PM Modi said.

The prime minister promised 33% reservation for women in government jobs.

He said, “The Bengal BJP government will provide ₹21,000 in assistance to women during pregnancy. Daughters will get 33% reservation in government jobs. Modi has provided free treatment and grain facilities for the sisters and daughters of poor families. In the first cabinet meeting of the BJP, a decision will be taken to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Under this, free treatment of ₹5 lakh will be provided to the elderly.”

Listing promises to woo women, PM Modi invoked Goddess Kali and Ayodhya Ram Temple, and said, “These road shows were not a political event for me. They were like 'Teerth Yatra' for me. I would often visit the devotees of Goddess Kali, and perhaps that was why Goddess Kali was constantly infusing me with new energy.”

“You may remember that when the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla was held in Ayodhya in January 2024, I performed an eleven-day ritual and fasted. I visited numerous temples in South India, seeking blessings from the deities. In this election, I felt the same emotion as when visiting a Goddess temple. Behind this is my attachment to Bengal,” he added.

Speaking of the ‘closure’ of jute mills, PM Modi targeted the Mamata government and said, “You all witnessed what happened with the Auckland jute mill. When the workers went to work in the morning, they saw that the mill was closed. Jute mills, paper mills and textile industries are closing. In the last few months, in the Barrackpore industrial belt, around one dozen jute mills have closed down.”

“On the one hand, the mills that provide employment are closing down; on the other hand, crude bomb factories are flourishing, employing goons, and the TMC's syndicate is expanding. This is TMC's Maha Jungle Raj,” he added.

After a record high turnout in the first phase, the polling for the second phase will be held on April 29, with the counting of votes scheduled for 4 May.

(With agency inputs)