UP Govt Launches 'Hunar Haath' Pilot To Train Youth In Domestic Services; Critics Slam Narrow Focus Amid Job Crisis

The Yogi Government in Uttar Pradesh is set to launch the 'Hunar Haath' pilot project, an initiative touted to make youth "self-reliant" by training them in domestic services. While ostensibly designed to provide job opportunities and a "trusted service network" for citizens, critics are questioning whether this narrow focus adequately addresses the state's significant unemployment challenges.

Under the scheme, managed by the Department of Vocational Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship, young individuals will receive training in areas such as cooking, house cleaning, caregiving, and household appliance maintenance. The program will offer both residential and non-residential formats, collaborating with government and private training institutes. A digital portal is planned to connect the newly trained youth with citizens seeking these services.

Additional Mission Director Priya Singh and Mission Director Pulkit Khare presented the project, emphasizing its goal to create a "special platform" for skilled domestic service providers. The initial phase will target five districts. Principal Secretary Dr. Hariom instructed officials to ensure training quality, safety, and clear classification of services on the digital portal.

However, the initiative has drawn skepticism from various quarters. Critics argue that focusing on domestic services, a sector often plagued by low wages, lack of formal contracts, and vulnerability to exploitation, is a simplistic approach to a complex employment crisis. With over two lakh teaching positions reportedly vacant in the state's education department and ongoing protests from job seekers in other sectors, some question if the government is genuinely addressing the demand for skilled labor in higher-value industries.

This move could be seen by some as an attempt to divert attention from broader failures in job creation, pushing youth into precarious informal employment rather than empowering them with skills for robust, secure careers.