‘Yuva Sathi’: State govt rolls out ‘Swanirbhar Bangla’ camps

Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Sunday began operationalising ‘Swanirbhar Bangla’ camps to register unemployed youths for financial assistance under the new ‘Banglar Yuba Sathi’ scheme, launched ahead of the Assembly polls.

The camps, set up across all 294 Assembly constituencies, are also accepting fresh applications for four other welfare schemes, including aid for landless agricultural labourers, Lakshmir Bhandar, and waiver of irrigation charges under government

tubewells and RLI schemes. Long queues were reported at several camps, with participants, including postgraduates, expressing satisfaction with the initiative. Under the scheme, jobless youths aged 21–40 years will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 for up to five years.

The camps will function from 10 am to 5 pm every day till February 26.

From Bolpur to Ballygunge, and Kakdwip to Kalimpong, thousands queued at the camps since this morning to register their names and particulars as government officials manned the tables.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the recent state Interim Budget, announced the ‘Banglar Yuba Sathi’ initiative, which will come into effect from April 1.

On Saturday, State Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty held a virtual meeting with the district magistrates to assess preparedness for hosting these camps and passed necessary instructions for the smooth conduct of the programme.