West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday announced a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 for unemployed youth who have passed the secondary examination. The scheme was launched on March 7 instead of April to coincide with International Women’s Day. The announcement comes ahead of the upcoming assembly polls and at a time when Banerjee is facing criticism from the BJP leaders.

Announcing the scheme, CM Banerjee said, "In the case of Yuva Sathi, all those who are still studying and are not beneficiaries of any schemes other than scholarships will receive the amount. We had earlier stated that the money would be given on April 1. But since tomorrow is International we have changed the payment date from April 1 to today (March 7)."

West Bengal Yuva Sathi Scheme: Eligibility Criteria

The financial initiative, ''Yuva Sathi Scheme" targets young men and women aged 21-40 in West Bengal to help them become self-reliant. All eligible individuals between the mentioned age bracket, who have cleared the secondary examination (Class 10) will receive Rs 1,500 monthly. While the assistance was originally scheduled to begin in April, it has started from March 7.

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What Documents Are Needed?

Applicants must be permanent residents of West Bengal to avail the benefits of this scheme. The applications for this scheme will be accepted through special registration camps. The monthly allowance will continue for up to five years or until the person gets a job or starts a business. It will go straight to their Aadhaar-linked bank account. Applicants are required to have Class 10 certificate, Aadhaar, bank passbook, ration card, and recent photograph to get themselves registered. One can also check Yuva Sathi portal of West Bengal government for more details.

Meanwhile, Banerjee also highlighted her government’s achievements in reducing unemployment by 40% and creating jobs through skill training programs. Out of 40 lakh trained individuals, 10 lakh are now employed, she said.

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