At a Lok Milni in Kamalpura village, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann declared that his administration had filled 70,000 government posts on merit, a move he says has curbed the rising demand for passports among the state’s youth.
Sampla, a senior BJP leader, challenged the narrative on Friday, pointing to the April‑June 2026 Periodic Labour Force Survey that records a 22.3 percent unemployment rate for 15‑29‑year‑olds in Punjab, higher than the national 15.9 percent.
He added that a 27.7 percent NEET rate among the same age group indicates that many educated youngsters remain job‑hungry, and he argues that the decline in overseas migration is a consequence of increasingly stringent visa policies in Canada, Australia and the UK.
For families like that of 23‑year‑old Rohan Sharma, the promise of state jobs feels like a lifeline. Sharma, who had been eyeing a scholarship in Canada, now envisions a career in a local manufacturing firm, citing the new government contracts as the reason for staying.
The controversy has already found its way into campaign rallies, with both parties promising to address youth unemployment and migration. The AAP has framed the job creation as proof of a growing Punjab, while the BJP warns voters that the real crisis lies in a stagnant private sector.
Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections in March, the debate over job numbers and migration will likely shape voter sentiment, as parties mobilize youth support and policymakers scrutinise the effectiveness of the 70,000‑post programme.