Goa becomes first state to announce dole for jobless youth

PANAJI: Goa on Thursday became the first state in the country to announce a dole for the unemployed. Chief minister Digambar Kamat presenting the state budget also announced pension for senior citizens and a package for farmers, the girl child and other weaker sections.

The monthly dole will be applicable only to unemployed under-graduates, who have been registered with the state employment exchange, and will be provided for a threeyear period. The government has proposed a monthly unemployment subsistence allowance of a maximum of Rs 1,200 to those who have passed Class XII. The less qualified will receive less.

"An allocation of Rs 50 crore has been set aside in the budget for the purpose," Kamat said. Goa has around 80,000 unemployed youth registered with the employment exchange. Around 20,000 are graduates and above, 20,000 are Class XII pass and 40,000 are matriculates or less, according to government figures.

The allowance for the jobless has been a hot topic in Goa politics. The Congress and BJP had promised such a scheme in their manifestoes in the 2007 elections.