Kolkata: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday accused Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of failing to secure the future of young people during its 15-year regime, as more people turned up to register their names for Banglar Yuva Sathi, the newly launched monthly financial assistance scheme for the state’s unemployed youth.
Under the scheme, announced during the state’s budget on February 5, people aged between 21 and 40 who have passed the state secondary board examination will receive a monthly assistance of ₹1,500. The allowance will be deposited in bank accounts until the applicants get jobs or for a maximum tenure of five years. Those already covered under other schemes are not entitled to this one.
Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar alleged that the scheme lacked transparency. “TMC leaders seem to be more active at these camps. Are the applications not being filed online only to ensure that there is no digital evidence? This is nothing but an election gimmick,” Sarkar said.
“After failing to create jobs in 15 years, TMC has insulted the young generation by offering ₹50 a day. These people today look for work in states that were once behind West Bengal in terms of development,” he added.
TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh hit back, saying Chief Minister Banerjee set an example.
“BJP should turn its focus to the unemployment rate in the states it rules. Despite the Centre blocking Bengal’s funds for welfare schemes, which has left a burden on the exchequer, Mamata Banerjee is doing whatever she can for young people. Our government is creating jobs as well,” Ghosh said.
Although the scheme was to start in August according to the budget document, days later Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that applicants would receive the allowance from April 1. Registration camps for the scheme in each of Bengal’s 294 assembly constituencies will operate every day from February 15 to 26.
At the camps, most applicants welcomed the scheme, saying any monetary assistance would help, but some expressed despair.
Krishna Dutta, a homemaker who visited the camp in East Burdwan district’s Katwa assembly constituency, said she had come to collect the form for her son, who has a temporary job in Odisha.
“He didn’t get any job here. Isn’t it sad that a master’s degree holder has to apply for an allowance of ₹1500,” Dutta told the local media.
At Kolkata’s Behala East constituency, Saptarshi Ghosh said: “I did not get a job despite having first class degrees at both under-graduate and postgraduate levels. Some aid is better than nothing.”
