A day after he appeared to blame a lack of qualified candidates among job seekers in North India for unemployment levels in the country, BJP leader and Union Minister Santosh Gangwar today offered an explanation for his remark. A Minister of State (Independent) in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Gangwar had claimed that there is no shortage of jobs in the country but companies recruiting in North India told him they were unable to find candidates with the required qualifications.

"What I had said was in a different context. I said that there is a lack of skill and our government has started the skill ministry and we are giving skill training to the youth." Mr Gangwar said today.

I want to say that there is no dearth of job opportunities in the country. Those who come for recruitment in north India often complain that they are unable to find the quality in candidates required for the post they are hiring for," he had said in his constituency of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

"I am looking after the same ministry and I monitor the situation on a daily basis. There is no dearth of employment in the country. We have employment exchanges for a purpose and we have also developed a separate system," Mr Gangwar added on Saturday.

"I am looking after the same ministry and I monitor the situation on a daily basis. There is no dearth of employment in the country. We have employment exchanges for a purpose and we have also developed a separate system," Mr Gangwar added on Saturday.

Detailed official data on unemployment has not been filed for several years. Following release of 2017/18 figures the government declined to provide comparable numbers for more recent years.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has hit out Mr Gangwar's comment, criticising the Bareilly MP for insulting young men and women in North India and using them to avoid blame for the economic slowdown.