Beyond the Numbers: Tamil Nadu's Employment Trouble

In Tamil Nadu, we have long prided ourselves on being industrious, innovative, and aspirational. For decades, our state was a model of industrial development and social mobility—a place where hard work translated into upward progress. But today, that promise is breaking down.

- EDAPPADI K PALANISWAMI

In Tamil Nadu, we have long prided ourselves on being industrious, innovative, and aspirational. For decades, our state was a model of industrial development and social mobility—a place where hard work translated into upward progress. But today, that promise is breaking down. The unemployment crisis, especially among our youth, has become more than an economic issue—it is a quiet emergency that the current government has neither acknowledged seriously nor addressed competently.

According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), as of early 2024, Tamil Nadu's unemployment rate stood at 5.2%, higher than the national average. But statistics only reveal part of the problem. Underemployment, disguised unemployment, and the migration of skilled youth to other states and abroad reflect a growing erosion of opportunity, affecting lakhs of families.

The ruling party touts its achievements through job fairs and the 2024 Global Investors Meet (GIM), claiming ₹6.64 lakh crore in investment commitments and 14.5 lakh promised jobs. Yet, by April 2024, only ₹13,000 crore had materialized and a mere 46,000 jobs were created—just over 3% of the original promise. These jobs, largely in MSMEs, often lack security, growth prospects, or adequate compensation.

We are witnessing a dangerous gap between aspiration and accountability. The tragedy isn't just the unemployment rate—it is the collapse of public faith in government schemes as reliable engines of opportunity.

This was not always the case.

Under the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), employment generation was never an afterthought. It was embedded in our longstanding commitment to expanding opportunities, building infrastructure, and equipping youth with future-ready skills.