Creating homegrown jobs imperative

INDIA MUST EVOLVE A SYSTEM CAPABLE OF GENERATING ENOUGH QUALITY JOBS TO COUNTER US ARM-TWISTING ON THE VISA ISSUE

- Shivaji Sarkar

It’s a complex scenario. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, announced a ₹1 lakh crore job-generation plan through Employees Provident Fund (EPF) incentivisation. A welcome move—yet not an alternative to the Donald Trump-led assault on the H-1B visa.

This could be an indigenous way to create jobs, but it needs far more ingenuity. The focus must be on revitalising industry, ensuring fair wage policies, and securing long-term employment. India must evolve a system capable of generating enough quality jobs to counter US arm-twisting on the visa issue.

The H-1B debate is now particularly critical for low-paid jobs. Highly skilled applicants at higher wage levels (Level 3 and 4) may still secure better deals, but US corporate preference for low-wage Indian hires over American workers has triggered political pushback. Complaints have mounted over the years, and any US president—Trump or otherwise—might have acted similarly.