Maharashtra to appoint 50,000 youngsters for publicity of government welfare schemes

Chandrakant Patil. Pic/X

Ahead of the assembly elections, the Maharashtra government has decided to recruit 50,000 young individuals to promote various government welfare schemes of both the state and Union governments, reported news agency PTI.

These 'Yojana doots' will assist citizens in availing of the benefit of government welfare schemes, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil told the state legislative council in Mumbai, reported PTI.

The opposition, however, criticised the initiative, denouncing it as a political campaign targeting the youth.

Leader of opposition Ambadas Danve raised concerns in the legislative council regarding the quality of skill development education in Maharashtra and questioned the government's decision to hire 50,000 youths for publicity, reported PTI.

In reply, minister Patil said that the state government has allocated Rs 53.66 crore for ten polytechnics to establish 'Centres for Excellence,' aimed at promoting skill development and self-employment. Of the10 lakh youths set to receive six months of skill-based training with stipend, 50,000 individuals would be designated as 'Yojana doots' to disseminate knowledge about government welfare schemes, he said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government tabled supplementary demands of Rs 94,889.46 crore in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday, reported PTI.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, tabled these supplementary demands, which are additional funds sought by the government over the budgetary allocations.

Pawar had presented Rs 6,12,293 crore state budget on June 28, in which he announced several sops for women, youths and farmers, among other sections, reported PTI.

The supplementary demands include Rs 25,000 crore for the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Rs 5,555 crore for the Youth Work Training Scheme, Rs 2,930 crore for providing free electricity to farmers for their agriculture pumps up to 7.5 horsepower, reported PTI.

Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, eligible women in the age group of 21 to 60 years will get a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500. The scheme is aimed at ensuring overall development and empowerment of women, including economic independence, self-reliance, health and nutrition.

An amount of Rs 46,000 crore will be made available every year for this scheme, which will be implemented from July, Pawar had announced while presenting the budget, reported PTI.

The agriculture pumps scheme will help 44.06 lakh farmers and a provision of Rs 14,761 crore will be made in the form of subsidy for the scheme, reported PTI.

The 'Mukhyamantri Yuva Karyaprashikshan Yojana' is aimed at providing job training in industrial and non-industrial establishments to 10 lakh youths every year. It will help in creating employment opportunities for youths and make available trained manpower to industries, Pawar had said.

Under the scheme, each trainee will be given a stipend up to Rs 10,000 per month by the government and it will entail an expenditure of around Rs 10,000 crore.

(With inputs from PTI)