Assam to launch Rural Employment Generation Scheme

GUWAHATI: “My Government would launch a new scheme called the Rural Employment Generation Scheme for opening up vistas of employment opportunities for the rural youth of the State,” said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at the credit disbursement programme for self employment of women and youth under Chief Minister’s Jeevan Jyoti Swaniojan Yojana at SIRD, Kahikuchi campus.

Gogoi said, “More than 50,000 youth have been assisted under the Jeevan Jyoti Swaniojan Yojana. We want more and more beneficiaries to avail the scheme and become economically independent.”

Gogoi underscored the need for skill development training to women and youth for undertaking productive income generating activities like carpentry, masonry, plumbing, food processing and floriculture. “This will not only provide them gainful employment but also enable them to employ a few others to make a decent living,” he said, adding,

“The Government will send selected youth and women to attend specialised training abroad in Bangkok, Malaysia and Singapore.” In the same breath, the Chief Minister said the Government is envisaging opening up a training centre for skill development in every district. “We want to have training centres not only in every district but every development block as well,” he added.

Appreciating the help of banks and financial institutions to extend loans to rural youth, Gogoi said, “The banks are coming forward to extend loan facility to rural youth. This really augurs well. The institutional credit support would get further boost if more bank branches come up in the rural areas.”

Gogoi said the State Government has given much emphasis on the welfare of women and children and would take up a special scheme for them soon. The Chief Minister further said a new scheme would be taken up to provide dwelling units to the homeless and poor.

Chief Minister gave away cheques to the individual beneficiaries and best performing groups. Altogether a bank loan for Rs 5 crore was disbursed to 4,772 beneficiaries, 195 groups comprising 708 families and incentives to 20 best performing groups and individuals in today’s credit disbursement programme. So far 51,901 youth have been assisted under the yojana involving Rs 3.08 crore. SIRD has been implementing the scheme since July 2005.