After erupting the differences among the State Government, Cabinet Minister and State party unit, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today categorically refused to implement the promise made in the Manfesto-2012 regarding unemployment allowance. The Cabinet Minister Mr. G.S. Bali and Party state unit President Mr. Sukhvinder Singh Sukha who were insisting the Government to implement unemployment allowance scheme as it was promised in the party Manifesto today unanimously resolved the issue and decided to not further press the issue in the public.
Mr. Bali who who was convener of party election Manifesto committee along with UPA former Minister Mr. Anand Sharma had assured Rs 1000 allowance to registered unemployed youths beside assuring Rs 1000 skill development allowance in Manifesto. Mr. Bali today discussed the issue in the Cabinet meeting however the decision was rejected and decided to only pay Rs 1000 skill development allowances to the unemployed.
Soon after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister addressed media persons today and said that the Government decided to not pay the unemployment allowance as demanded by the Cabinet minister and Party State President. The Chief Minister said that the Government provided 65000 job avenues in the State and private sectors and also spend Rs 100 Crore to distribute skill development allowance and so far, One lakh fifty-two thousand youth had benefited under this scheme.
The Government claimed that it had provided employment to 44,463 youth in various Government departments since Dec 2012. He said that it would not be prudent to pay unemployment allowance to idle sitting youths in their homes rather paying skill development allowance which would also upgrade their skill and increase their employ-ability.
He said that cabinet decided to remained committed to empower youth enhancing their skills ensuring them lifelong employment opportunities both state and private sector. Mr. Singh said like state government centre is also paying skill development allowance rather paying unemployment allowance.
The State has launched a Rs 500 Cr Skill Development Allowance Scheme with effect from May 2013 to cover about two lakh unemployed youth under the skip and provided them Skill Development Allowance of Rs 1000 each for a period of two years. He Said that Rs. 1500 per month Allowance is being provided to youth with 50 per cent physically disabled. It has lowered the eligibility age condition from 18 years to 16 years and educational qualification from 10th standard to 8th standard.
With this announcement by the Chief Minister Congress party which would go for poll in the end of this year to decide to do away and drop one of its main election manifesto promises though government claimed that it has adopted party election manifesto policy document implement each of its promise verbatim.
