Lucknow, Sept. 20 -- Hitting out at critics, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday reasserted that government jobs will be provided to one lakh aspirants in Uttar Pradesh in the next six months. "Those who failed to provide employment are the ones raising questions today. Let them keep counting, we will keep delivering. The discussion will not be about providing jobs to fewer than one lakh youths, but rather exceeding that figure," he said ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls which are due early next year. "The process will continue unabated," he remarked at a programme at Lok Bhavan while distributing appointment letters under 'Mission Rozgar' to 818 candidates selected through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) and the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) for various departmental posts, including in the Ayush, medical and health, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sectors. The chief minister stated that so far 9.5 lakh youth in the state have been given jobs in various government departments through a transparent process. "The recruitment drive will continue in the future. Appointment letters will be handed out to approximately one thousand people on Sunday as well," he said. Giving details of the recruitments, the chief minister said appointment letters will be issued to 36,000 individuals for the Uttar Pradesh Police. Their written examinations have concluded, and the physical and medical assessment processes are currently underway. Additionally, 41,000 to 42,000 appointments are being made in the Home Guards. He said that 25,000 to 30,000 aspirants would gain opportunities through results expected from the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSC) over the next six months. Approximately 20,000 to 25,000 young people are set to receive opportunities through the Uttar Pradesh Education Selection Commission; the results for some have already begun to appear, while examinations for others are ongoing, with results expected within the next three to four months. Furthermore, 15,000 to 16,000 youths will find opportunities across various departments through the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC). He thanked the chairpersons and members of the UPPSC and the UPSSC for completing the recruitment process in a time-bound, transparent, and fair manner. He remarked that when recruitment boards and commissions are shielded from political interference and examinations are conducted with transparency and integrity, such positive results are achieved. Criticising the previous government, Adityanath said that prior to 2017, the governments of the time had tarnished the entire recruitment process by installing their own relatives and cronies in the commissions and recruitment boards. Not a single recruitment was conducted honestly, he alleged. He stated that back then, an individual appointed as the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission chairman was not even qualified for the post. The ensuing situation compelled the courts to intervene, and the state's youth were forced to take to the streets in protest, he added. He alleged that during the Samajwadi Party's tenure, recruitment irregularities occurred where individuals who had not even applied received appointment letters, while actual applicants were left empty-handed. "As soon as recruitment advertisements were issued, various gangs and syndicates would become active to extort money. The government subsequently abolished the interview process for Group C and D recruitments," he added. Prior to 2017, the talent of Uttar Pradesh's youth was not respected, he said, adding the state had been reduced to a 'Bimaru' (ailing/backward) state due to the mindset of the governments in power at the time. He noted that while previous governments viewed the state's youth as a problem, the current government has recognized them as a source of economic strength and opportunity. He said that the state's per capita income and the size of the economy tripled in nine years. The availability of the female workforce has tripled, and the state's budget has also more than tripled, he said. He told the newly selected candidates that now they will be able to directly become a part of the Uttar Pradesh government and provide the benefits of their talent and service to the 25 crore people of the state. Congratulating the candidates and their parents, he called upon them to perform their duties with full honesty and dedication. Reacting to the chief minister's assertion, Samajwadi Party national spokesperson Abbas Haider said, "The chief minister says over one lakh government jobs will be given in the next six months. But he knows the assembly elections are due early next year and the Model Code of Conduct is likely to come into force by December. That leaves barely three months. So why announce a six-month target now? If the recruitment is genuinely ready, why wait until the eve of elections? This appears more like another BJP gimmick than a credible employment roadmap," he said. Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said, "As elections are nearing, the BJP is trying to bring numbers before the people. Lakhs of posts are vacant across departments. The state government has just begun and claims it will give one lakh jobs in six months, but what about candidates who have already taken exams and are awaiting appointment?"...