India's Desperate,Growing Unemployment as more than 100,000 jostle for 400 Four Dollars a Day Jobs

India’s Fast 8-9% GDP Growth has become the envy of the developed world groping with anemic growth rates of 1-2% and rising sovereign debt burdens.Asia led by India and China are the new engines of growth of the global economy.However a close examination of the growth shows the rising strains and inequality.Most of the growth in India has been a jobless one with capital intensive sectors leading the way.While some service sectors like the IT and BPO Industry have also grown at a rapid pace,it has only affected a minuscule portion of the Indian population.The rest continue to wallow in misery and poverty which is reflected in the growth of Naxalism.India’s education infrastructure is quite woeful with majority of graduates unemployable.This has led to a growing army of unemployed half education youth fighting  to get low end jobs.Unlike China,India’s industry forms just 30% of India’s GDP and majority are still employed in agriculture.Most of India’s service industry too constitutes of low value add,low paying jobs.With growing communication and information,the few good low end jobs on offer leads to a desperate jostling.Public sector jobs in railways,paramilitary are especially lucrative offering job security and a decent social position.This has led to increasing clashes.

Fast-growing India facing unemployment ‘bomb’

On offer was the chance of joining the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). A paltry 416 jobs were available as washermen, barbers, water carriers and other lowly positions with a starting salary of 5,200 rupees ($115) a month. This remarkable turnout for so few vacancies might have gone unreported except for violence when applicants grew frustrated with the registration process and a gruesome accident as the disappointed hordes headed home. Returning on the roof of a train that had been filled far beyond its capacity, 18 men were killed when they failed to react in time to a low-hanging bridge.

The last clash was in India’s financial capital Mumbai where railway job seekers from outside states were thrashed by a regional party goons.This trend has been increasing as authorities get overwhelmed by the number of job seekers.A recent recruitment by ITBP for $4/day jobs resulted in a massive rush.More than 100,000 youth arrived in a small city for just 400 low paying jobs.With the organizers overwhelmed,the job seekers went berserk clashing with locals.18 of the job seekers were further tragically killed as they overcrowded the public transport on their way back.Note China too faces this problems as white collar workers supply overwhelms demand leading to pathetic conditions and pay.