The Congress government will launch on December 26 registration for Yuvanidhi, its fifth “guarantee” scheme, which will provide financial assistance to unemployed youth, based on a monthly self-declaration. The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) will be rolled out on Vivekananda Jayanti on January 12 at a public event in Shivamogga.
The State Government has mapped about 5.29 lakh graduates and diploma holders who have passed out during the academic year 2022-23 to be eligible to apply for the scheme that is estimated to cost about ₹250 crore during this financial year. The launch of Yuvanidhi will also mark the implementation of all five guarantees given by the Congress before the 2023 Assembly elections.
About 4.81 lakh graduates and about 48,100 diploma holders will be passing out in 2022-23. The government is estimating that the cost of implementing the guarantees will go up to ₹1,250 crore in the next financial year, and will increase to ₹2,500 crore the following year.
The scheme entails monthly financial assistance of ₹3,000 to graduates and post-graduates, and ₹1,500 for diploma holders who have not found employment six months after graduating. Those who are domicile of Karnataka for a minimum of six years and who have passed in academic year 2022-23 are eligible for the scheme. Beneficiaries will receive financial assistance for two years.
Candidates who are self-employed, continuing higher education, and those employed in government or government-aided institutions and in the private sector are not eligible.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar will take part in the event to launch registration in Bengaluru on December 26,” Medical Education and Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Minister Sharan Prakash Patil told reporters in Bengaluru on December 21.
“We have trust in our youngsters. There is no need to be cynical about registration for the scheme. DBT payment will be based on monthly self-declaration. We are also aware that 100% physical verification is not possible, and we will go for 5% random checking,” the Minister said in response to concerns of fraud. “Payments will be released based on the monthly declaration of the candidate,” he said, adding, “A candidate may not file self-declaration if employment is found.”
When asked if the government is thinking of making it a criminal offence to make a false self-declaration, he said, “If large scale fraud is detected, we may consider it.”
Mr. Patil said that the government will be utilising data from IT, GST, higher education portal, ESI and PF to ascertain about candidates pursuing higher education or employment.
Registration for the scheme can be done through Grama One, Karnataka One, Bengaluru One, Bapuji Seva Kendra and Sevasindhu portal free of cost. Among the documents required are SSLC and PUC marks card, ration card and employment registration card.
