Srinagar, June 19: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said more than 22,500 youths in Jammu and Kashmir have entered the formal workforce for the first time under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), while over 53,000 citizens have directly benefited from the scheme’s incentives.
Addressing a UT-level programme virtually as part of a nationwide outreach event linked to the scheme, Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir has capitalised on the opportunity “exceptionally well”, with more than 3,300 local establishments registered under PM-VBRY and over 31,000 job openings qualifying for incentives.
Calling the occasion a celebration of Jammu and Kashmir’s transformative journey, Sinha said the scheme was giving a new direction to the dreams, aspirations and opportunities of the region’s youth by enabling access to secure and dignified employment.
“This historic occasion is not merely a programme for distributing financial benefits under a government scheme but also a celebration of Jammu and Kashmir’s transformative journey,” he said.
Sinha said workers in Jammu and Kashmir lacked comprehensive social security protections prior to August 2019. He said the implementation of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, in the Union Territory in November 2019 brought lakhs of workers into the national social security fold for the first time.
Highlighting the significance of the scheme, Sinha said PM-VBRY reflected the Centre’s continued focus on strengthening job creation and social security.
“The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana embodies the resolve to build a Viksit Bharat. It envisions an India where formal employment becomes the norm, social security reaches every citizen and every young person gets the opportunity to realise their dreams,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the Employment Linked Incentive scheme rests on two pillars. The first provides direct financial support to first-time entrants into the formal workforce, while the second incentivises employers and industries that expand their workforce and create additional jobs.
“When industries grow, employment opportunities increase and society prospers. It is estimated that through these two components, more than 3.5 crore employment opportunities across the country will be incentivised over the next two years,” he said.
Sinha also commended the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for implementing reforms aimed at improving ease of doing business and ease of living. He lauded participating employers for becoming partners in nation-building and urged other eligible enterprises in Jammu and Kashmir to register under the scheme.
The remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi disbursed incentives worth around Rs 2,400 crore to more than 15 lakh beneficiaries across the country under PM-VBRY during a national programme held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The event formed part of a nationwide outreach campaign conducted simultaneously at around 200 locations.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said India’s youth are earning unprecedented global recognition for their talent, skills and potential. He said the government was committed to ensuring that every young person gets an opportunity to convert potential into success.
“Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana is much more than an employment scheme. It is an initiative designed to strengthen the aspirations of young people entering their first jobs while creating a robust bridge between industry and the workforce,” the Prime Minister said.
In Jammu and Kashmir, 1,522 employees received incentives amounting to Rs 74 lakh, while about Rs 25.42 crore was transferred directly into the bank accounts of 304 employers under the scheme.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment organised special programmes at the Convention Centre Jammu and the Bari Brahmana Industrial Association in Samba as part of the national event.
The PM-VBRY is a flagship Employment Linked Incentive scheme aimed at promoting formal employment, supporting first-time entrants into the organised workforce and encouraging employers to generate additional jobs. Under the scheme, eligible first-time employees receive one month’s wage, up to Rs 15,000, while employers receive incentives for two years for creating additional employment. Manufacturing sector employers are eligible for support for an additional two years.
The main programme was broadcast at various locations across Jammu and Kashmir, including Lok Bhavan Srinagar, Convention Centre Jammu, NIFT College SIDCO Industrial Complex Ompora Budgam and Bari Brahmana Industrial Association Samba.
At the Convention Centre Jammu, the programme was attended by Lok Sabha MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma and more than 600 participants, including around 400 beneficiaries, over 200 employers, representatives of industry associations, public representatives and senior government officials.
During the programme, employers distributed 20 appointment letters to newly employed workers at the Convention Centre Jammu and six appointment letters at Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Samba.
Labour Commissioner Charandeep Singh, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I Sumeet Singh, beneficiaries, employers, industry association representatives, public representatives and EPFO officials were among those present at various venues across Jammu and Kashmir.
