The Yuva Swabhiman Yojana — a 100-day urban job guarantee scheme — launched by the Madhya Pradesh government offers over 40 jobs, covering a broad spectrum from cattle-grazer to accountant and photographer. This scheme, the brainchild of M.P. chief minister Kamal Nath and reportedly the first of its kind in the country aims to cover as many beneficiaries as possible, regardless of their educational qualification.
As per a report in the Times of India, 64,000 have been allotted work under the scheme out of the 1.68 lakh urban unemployed youths who have applied for jobs.
Those eligible for the scheme — age criteria of 21-30 years — can provide three options specifying what they would want to do, or would be capable of, as per their education and aptitude. This scheme has no stipulated minimum educational criteria —uneducated people are also eligible to apply for jobs.
Once enrolled, the report said, beneficiaries would be given employment by civic bodies. They will also undergo skills training simultaneously. Per the scheme, after 90 days of training, beneficiaries can be absorbed in different jobs or by the municipal body.
To each beneficiary, the government will pay a stipend of around Rs 13,300. The state government will reportedly pay 90 per cent of the stipend, and the municipal bodies will give 10 per cent.
The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh aims to cover at least six lakh youths a year in three phases. This would mean providing employment to two lakh people every four months.
Jobs offered under the scheme reportedly include cattle-grazer, accountant assistant, assistant fire operator, assistant storekeeper, caretaker of shelter homes, effluent water treatment plant operator, motor mechanic, electrician, community response person, contract supervisor, courier, glass fitter, garden assistant, JCB driver, JCB helper, driver, dispatch operator, conductor, fireman, photographer, carpenter, billing assistant, mechanic, welder, repair of office electronic equipment, bill distributor, legal advisor assistant, videographer, store attendant, surveyor, cleanliness assistant and security guard.
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