SHIVAMOGGA: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday that the state government will not only provide stipend to unemployed youth, but also offer them skill development training to enhance their employability in the country and abroad.
Addressing a large number of youth after launching Yuva Nidhi, the fifth guarantee scheme, at the Freedom Park here, he said that a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 will be given to graduates and Rs 1,500 to diploma holders for two years.
Siddaramaiah said that his government has walked the talk by implementing all five guarantees — Shakti, Gruha Jyoti, Anna Bhagya, Gruha Lakshmi and Yuva Nidhi. “We did not promise that all programmes in the Congress manifesto will be implemented immediately.
But we promised to implement the five guarantees immediately after assuming power. This is because of the rising unemployment rate and distress among farmers in view of drought. Prices of foodgrains are on the rise. In order to help the poor, farmers and women, we implemented the five guarantees to empower them financially,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said the five guarantees are helping the poor and on an average, each household is getting around Rs 6,000 every month. Explaining the reason for the delay in launching the Yuva Nidhi scheme, the CM said the Congress, during its campaign for the Assembly elections, stated that under this scheme, youth who graduate in the 2022-23 academic year will be eligible for the stipend after six months of their examination results are announced. “Six months have passed. Now the unemployed graduates can register their names for the benefit under the scheme. So far, 70,000 graduates have registered,” the CM said.
He said under the Shakti scheme, 130.28 crore women have availed the free bus ride facility. Under Gruha Jyoti, 1.65 crore families are getting free electricity and under Gruha Lakshmi, 1.18 crore women are receiving Rs 2,000 per month. As the Centre refused to supply rice, the state government is giving Rs 170 and 5 kg of free rice to every BPL family member under the Anna Bhagya scheme. “Under the Yuva Nidhi scheme, 4.23 lakh graduates and diploma-holders will get the monthly stipend,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Skill Development Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, Shivamogga district in-charge minister Madhu Bangarappa and Energy Minister KG George were among the dignitaries present.