West Bengal CM announces dole to unemployed youths

To launch 'Kanyasri Prakalpa' scheme for girls

The West Bengal government would provide an allowance of Rs 1,500 per month to unemployed youths registered with the Employment Bank, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said.

Nearly one lakh youths would benefit from the scheme which would be launched on October 3, Mamata said, addressing a rally here in South 24-Paraganas district after inaugurating several government projects.

The chief minister also announced that a special scheme for girls 'Kanyasri Prakalpa' would be launched on October 1. Mamata said that the state government would provide Rs 500 as an annual scholarship to girls belonging to families with an annual income of not more than Rs 1.20 lakh.

The girls will also be given Rs 25,000 as a one-time grant when they turn 18.

"If the girls continue their school education, vocational training, or studies in the open school system, we will transfer Rs 25,000 as a one-time grant in their bank accounts. The grant can be utilised for their marriage also. The criteria should be that they should not be married till then", she said.

The scheme would target 2.5 lakh beneficiaries this year and aims at benefiting 10,000 people by October 1.

Mamata, who began her tour of the districts yesterday with bureaucrats and ministers accompanying her to make direct contact with the people, said that she would complete ten out of 17 districts before the Durga Puja and the rest after the festival.

She also inaugurated several projects, including a shelter house for the cyclone-hit people in South 24-Paraganas district and also a hilsa research and preservation centre at Sultanpur fishing harbour in Diamond Harbour in the same district. Explaining the purpose of her district tours, Mamata said, "Instead of people from rural Bengal coming to the Writers Buildings, we ourselves are reaching them to know their problems and review the programme of development projects meant for them."

In apparent introspection, Mamata said she does not consider herself as an intellectual the way the Leftists do. "I understand little, but I am a realist and never bunk work," she said.