Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses Rozgar Mela in Chennai

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 26 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the Rozgar Mela program held at a private hotel in Chennai, where she distributed appointment letters to newly appointed individuals.
The event marked a significant moment for the 51,000 individuals who received their appointment orders for various job positions in their respective states.
During her address at the event, Finance Minister Sitharaman stressed the importance of embracing local languages when individuals are posted to different regions. She highlighted the significance of providing job opportunities to local residents and addressing language-related challenges.
Sitharaman said, “It is critical that you learn the local language wherever you are stationed. Today, a total of 51,000 people will get employment appointment letters in their respective states.  Vacancies were announced by several departments where jobs in our state should go to our state citizens”.
Sitharaman emphasized the need for vacancies announced by various departments to be filled by residents of the respective states. In Tamil Nadu, the appointment letters included positions at the Gazetted and Officer levels.
“Today, appointment letters are to be issued for both Gazated and Officer positions in Tamil Nadu”, added Sitharaman.
She also acknowledged situations where job vacancies attracted applications from across the country, and due to the selection process, individuals from other states might secure these positions.
In such cases, she recognized the language barrier that employees from other states might face when dealing with customers who speak the local language.
“For example, if there are 100 open positions such as puny or attender, 300 people will apply and 100 will be chosen through a written exam. If only 60 people come from Tamil Nadu, the remaining 40 will come from other states. In such cases, jobs that have direct contact with consumers from other states have a language barrier, which is a fair criticism”, said Sitharaman.
The Finance Minister encouraged Tamil Nadu's youth to take advantage of opportunities for employment and secure positions in their state.
She expressed her concerns about the language barrier affecting service quality when employees from other states need time to learn the local language.
Sitharaman stated, “Only positions in our state can be filled if a large number of young people apply. We are unable to fill vacancies if applications are not received. Those who come from other states for work are advised to learn the local language. People's service will be disrupted while they learn”.
Sitharaman pointed out that in India, individuals can be posted anywhere in the country due to the nature of all-India exams.
“In Tamil Nadu, you should take use of such opportunities to find work. This is a source of sadness for me. Anyone can be posted anywhere in an all-India test. If a Tamilian is placed in UP or Bihar, he will find Hindi difficult; if they come here, they will find Tamil difficult. As a result, it is critical that you learn the local language wherever you are placed”, added Sitharaman
She stressed the importance of adapting to the local language when posted in different regions, emphasizing that learning the local language is essential to ensure effective service delivery.
The Finance Minister's address underscored the importance of embracing linguistic diversity and fostering a sense of inclusion and cultural integration in workplaces across India.