BENGALURU: Two of the guarantees of the Siddaramaiah government, Yuva Nidhi and Shakti, will have a big positive impact on the communities that they are targeted at, experts opined. Under Yuva Nidhi, an unemployed graduate will get Rs 3,000 per month and unemployed diploma holders Rs 1,500, while Shakti allows free travel for all women in government buses.
“Youngsters who are just out of college and want to take up competitive exams can take the risk now as the government will fund them for two years. Earlier, such youth from lower middle-class and poor families had to depend mainly on their parents or work with private firms for stipend to chase their dreams. There are a lot of such students who stay in their community hostels in cities and prepare for competitive examinations. Many come out with flying colours, cracking SDA/FDA and even KAS examinations. Now young girls too can put in efforts without depending on their families,” a KAS officer said.
Sociologist Nagesh Kalenahalli said the guarantee for the unemployed youth has been borrowed from abroad, especially welfare states. “With this, the youth will have a feeling that the government is with them,” he added.
In the eighties, companies employed new graduates on a temporary basis with nominal stipend and absorbed them after they acquired the required skills. But as there is a scarcity of jobs, both in private and government sectors, the government scheme will help the youth. But whether the money is being spent on a good cause should be monitored and the youth should be made accountable for the taxpayers’ money, said Venkatesh, an industrialist in Peenya. He also suggested that the focus should be on imparting skills to these youth.
The Shakti scheme would allow rural women mobility as they can visit village weekly fairs to buy farm equipment, seeds and other requirements, said Mallikarjuna Swamy, a social scientist.
Farmer HJ Padmaraju, who organises study trips for women self-help group (SHG) members from Tovinakere in Koratagere taluk, said the scheme will help women. The head of Hallisiri SHG in the village, Manjamma, is now planning to take the team to Putturu in Dakshina Kannada district for a Jackfruit Mela slated to be held on May 17 and 18 in a KSRTC bus as they don’t have to pay any bus fare.
Some women are also planning trips and pilgrimages, especially to Dharmasthala. “What used to take months for planning could take just a few weeks now. But our women folk will not misuse the Shakti guarantee as they will be busy working in fields or factories and taking care of their children,” said Rajappa Dalwai, playwright who champions women empowerment.