Panaji, 31 August: Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai raised the issue of unemployment, low wages and the growing dependence on contractual workers in government services during a Calling Attention motion in the Goa Legislative Assembly.

Citing PLFS 2025 data, Sardesai said Goa’s unemployment rate stood at 8.3 per cent, compared to the national average of 3.1 per cent, while youth unemployment in the state was around 14.8 per cent.

He questioned the government over the continued temporary status of school counsellors, stating that around 135 counsellors are currently working across schools and performing essential duties.

Sardesai also highlighted the condition of nearly 3,000 pre-primary teachers working in around 800 schools, claiming that many of them receive salaries of only ₹6,000 to ₹10,000 per month. He demanded better wages, service protection and formal government recognition for these teachers.

The GFP MLA further raised concerns over more than 150 vocational teachers whose contractual tenure is reportedly set to end in March 2027. He also referred to 31 workers of the Forest Development Corporation, who, according to him, have been working since 2003 without adequate employment benefits or long-term job security.

“If the work is permanent, why is the worker temporary?” Sardesai asked, questioning whether the Goa Government could call itself a “model employer” while keeping employees on insecure contracts for years.

He demanded regularisation of eligible contractual workers and improved service conditions, arguing that Goa cannot claim to be a developed state while thousands of employees continue to work without adequate salaries, benefits and job security.

Sardesai also turned the employment issue into a political appeal, urging teachers and contractual workers to vote against the BJP government in the forthcoming Assembly elections and give the Goa Forward Party “one chance” to address their grievances.