FM Sitharaman launches dedicated mobile app for PM Internship Scheme

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday launched a dedicated mobile application for the Prime Minister Internship Scheme and urged more companies to join the programme.

Also, the minister said she has appealed to MPs to encourage youth to join the scheme. 

The pilot project of the scheme targeted at providing 1,25,000 internship opportunities to the youth during 2024-25 was launched on October 3, 2024.

After launching the app in the national capital on Monday, Sitharaman, who is in charge of the Finance and Corporate Affairs ministries, said the scheme is aimed at getting youth from Tier II and III cities and help them to understand the skills that are required by the industry as well as the job availability.

There is a shortage of people in terms of industry expectations and requirements and the scheme is aimed at bridging that gap, the minister said.

Regarding the scheme, she emphasised that there is no compulsion on industry and no interference.

The scheme is for a national cause, Sitharaman said and urged more companies to be part of it.

Indian industry should participate in the larger interest. "You need to open the window... for people to have a peek," the minister said.

Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra said the scheme provides on the ground experience for youth and will help in contributing towards Viksit Bharat.

In the first round of the scheme's pilot project, more than 1,27,000 internship opportunities were provided by the companies and the second round of the project started in January this year under which over 118,000 internship opportunities have been posted by around 327 companies. The deadline for applications in the second round is March 31.

According to Sitharaman, the scheme's website and app are being made more accessible. It is available in various languages. "Every language should have its prominence," she noted.

Interns will be provided monthly financial assistance of Rs 5,000 for 12 months and a one-time grant of Rs 6,000 under the scheme.

The scheme, announced in the 2024-25 Union Budget, aims to provide internship opportunities to one crore youth in the top 500 companies in five years.

The top 500 companies have been identified by the Corporate Affairs Ministry, which is implementing the scheme, on the basis of their average CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) expenditure over the last three years.

Corporate Affairs Secretary Deepti Gaur Mukherjee said more companies beyond the top 500 ones are expected to join the scheme.

The ministry has also introduced a framework for assessment of the implementation of the pilot project.