Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her government will roll out the 'Yuvasathi' unemployment allowance scheme from April 1 instead of the earlier launch schedule of August.
Addressing a press conference at state secretariat ‘Nabanna’, Banerjee said “educated unemployed youth” would receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 under the scheme.
Explaining the decision to advance the launch date, she said, "We have decided to start distributing this from April 1 since the financial year starts from April."
Assembly elections are due in the state in less than three months.
"In our state budget (interim), we had announced three to four schemes. The ‘Yuvasathi’ programme is for those who have passed the Madhyamik (Class 10) exams, aged 21-40 years," the CM said.
She also said that beneficiaries of the scheme would continue to be eligible for existing scholarships.
"They will be eligible for any scholarship – ‘Aikyasree’, ‘Medhasree’, smart card schemes like ‘Sikhasree’ and Swami Vivekananda merit-cum-scholarship," Banerjee said.
She, however, added that those who are already receiving benefits under other state government welfare schemes, apart from the scholarships, would not be eligible for the 'Yuvasathi' scheme.
"If they are not receiving funds under any other scheme, Rs 1,500 will be provided till they get job... then it will be reviewed after five years," she said.
The allowance would initially be provided for five years, after which it would be subject to review if the beneficiaries remained unemployed.
Outlining the application process, the chief minister said the state would organise camps across all assembly constituencies on the lines of the ‘Duare Sarkar’ outreach programme.
"We will set up 294 camps assembly-wise like ‘Duare Sarkar’," she said.
The camps will be held from February 15-26, between 10 am and 5 pm, where applicants can submit documents and receive an acknowledgement receipt on the spot.
The CM also said multiple departments would be involved in the process.
Banerjee said advertisements would be published in newspapers to create awareness about the scheme.
“We have people who are busy with SIR-related work, and they will not be pulled out (for the 'Yuvasathi' scheme)," she said.
Banerjee also said landless sharecroppers will start receiving financial assistance of Rs 4,000 annually (Rs 2,000 each during the rabi and kharif seasons) from April.
The assistance was announced in the interim budget.
Banerjee said camps would also be set up across the state to facilitate applications for the scheme.
In case of waiver of charges related to irrigation, farmers have to apply in these camps, too.