Schemes to make educated unemployed youth self-reliant

The state Self Help Groups department has chalked out several schemes to rope in educated unemployed youth up to the panchayat level to make them self-reliant.

Sadhan Pande, the state Self Help Group minister, said it has been decided to set up offices in 37 sub-divisions in nine districts. Officials of the Self Help Group department will function to reach to panchayat level.

Muktidhara is a pet project of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to bring an overall development of the Self Help Groups in the state and the steps taken by the minister of the department would let people from the grassroot level to derive the benefits of the Muktidhara scheme.

The plan of the state Self Help Group department is to set up five to ten Self Help Groups (SHG) in each panchayat. There would be around 10 youth in each of the SHG.

The state government will be providing all sorts of help and support to the SHGs. Necessary infrastructure would be built for them at the cost of around of Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000.

Giving an example, Pande said that the state government would help them to get a vehicle to transport their produce.

The SHGs in a panchayat could use the same vehicle to transport their produce and it would finally reduce the cost of transport.

“There are enough possibilities. Support would be given if anyone wants to set up a computer training centre,” he said adding that training would also be given to the youth interested in poultry farming and the new techniques of agriculture.

With the youth forming SHGs they would also become eligible to get loans at a minimum rate of interest which would help them increase the volume of their business. 

With the steps taken by the state Self Help Group department in the panchayat level, more youth would get a means of livelihood and they would become successful in their endeavours as the government would continue giving them assistance in promoting their produce. The department would also help them in selling their produce directly to exporters without intervention of any middlemen. It would help them to get right price for their produce.