The Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government is launching a revised version of its Yuva Swabhiman Yojana (YSY) – a scheme for the unemployed – with an increased monthly stipend and annual number of working days, The Times of India has reported.
The scheme -- a Congress manifesto promise and a flagship programme of the Kamal Nath government -- was launched on January 31, 2019, ensuring 100 days of employment every year to economically weak urban youth at a stipend of Rs 4,000 per month.
A year after the scheme's launch, the Congress government in the state is increasing the amount of monthly stipend to Rs 5,000 from Rs 4,000, while the days of employment will be increased to 365 days from 100 days earlier, the report said.
The revised version of YSY will be launched on February 1 by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, state public relations minister PC Sharma told the publication.
“We have decided to relaunch the scheme for unemployed youths after a year. The stipend has been hiked by Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month. On the lines of MNREGS, the government is ready to extend the guarantee of 100 workdays to 365 days of temporary employment a year,” Sharma was quoted as saying.
As per the report, the government’s decision has come on the basis of a yearly review of the scheme, where youths asked for a better stipend and more working days. Taking note of the feedback, the government decided to relaunch it in a new avatar, the report said.
The revision aims to generate 25,000 new jobs at an expense of Rs 200 crore, said Sharma.
Under the scheme, the urban development department has prepared a plan to select registered unemployed youths for temporary jobs as per their qualification and provide them with 10 days of training, he said.
For the revised scheme, the government will make a special allocation in the state budget to make it more effective and practical, Sharma added.
Relaunch of the scheme has been called 'futile' by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Asked about the revision of YSY, BJP MLA Vishwas Sarang said the decision itself exposes the Congress government’s failure in fulfilling its promises. “Not a single jobless youth was given stipend or a new job. This is mere face-saving. Congress should come clear with previous records of generating employment,” the article quotes Sarang as saying.
