‘Another jumla’: Rahul Gandhi Questions PM Modi’s Silence on ₹10,000 Cr ELI Scheme

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, accusing him of making empty promises while failing to address youth unemployment. Gandhi’s remarks targeted the central government’s much-publicized Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed that the scheme, announced post-2024 elections, was introduced with grand declarations about creating jobs for India’s youth. However, nearly a year later, Gandhi alleged, the government has failed to define the scheme and has reportedly returned the ₹10,000 crore initially allocated for it.

“This shows the Prime Minister’s lack of seriousness about tackling unemployment,” Gandhi said, although he did not provide supporting details for his claim. The government has yet to issue a response.

Criticizing the economic strategy behind employment generation, Gandhi argued that job creation cannot be achieved by favoring large corporations or prioritizing assembly work over manufacturing. He stressed the need to invest heavily in the MSME sector, develop competitive markets, support local production, and equip youth with relevant skills.

He challenged the Prime Minister directly, asking, “You announced the ELI scheme with great fanfare — but where has it gone? Have you abandoned the unemployed youth along with your promises?”

“While new slogans are announced daily, India’s young population continues to wait for real employment opportunities. What’s your concrete plan for generating crores of jobs, or is this just another jumla?” Gandhi concluded.

He also criticized Modi for prioritizing the interests of industrialists like Gautam Adani, questioning when the government would focus on job access for youth from marginalized communities.