Srinagar, Jun 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday disbursed incentives amounting to Rs 2,400 crore to more than 15 lakh beneficiaries across the country under Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), with regional programmes organized simultaneously at 200 locations nationwide, while Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, addressing the UT-level event through virtual mode, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for driving inclusive growth and expanding social security coverage in Jammu and Kashmir.
The main programme was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, attended by Union Minister of Labour & Employment Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Labour & Employment Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, senior officials, employer representatives, and employee beneficiaries.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that India’s youth are receiving unprecedented recognition globally for their talent, skills, and potential, and emphasised that the government is committed to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to transform their potential into success.
“Prime Minister 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,” PM Modi remarked.
In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, 1,522 employees received incentives worth Rs 74 lakh, while about Rs 25.42 crore were directly transferred into the bank accounts of 304 employers. Today, over 3,300 local establishments are registered under the scheme, bringing more than 22,500 youths into formal employment for the first time, with over 31,000 job openings qualifying for incentives, driving a direct positive transformation in the lives of more than 53,000 citizens.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, addressing the UT-level event through virtual mode, said: “This historic occasion is not merely a program for distributing financial benefits under a government scheme, but it is also a celebration of Jammu & Kashmir’s transformative journey. It is a celebration of the dreams, aspirations, and opportunities that are giving a new direction to the lives of our youth today.”
He said that before August 2019, workers in J&K were deprived of comprehensive social security protections, but following the implementation of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, in November 2019, lakhs of regional workers were integrated into the national social security fold for the first time.
LG SInha commended the Employees Provident Fund Organisation for implementing significant reforms aligning with ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and ‘Ease of Living,’ lauded participating employers for becoming vital partners in nation-building, and urged remaining enterprises in the UT to register under the scheme.
PM-VBRY is a flagship Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme aimed at promoting formal employment, supporting first-time entrants into the organised workforce, and incentivising employers to create additional jobs. Eligible first-time employees receive one month’s wage, up to Rs 15,000, while employers are provided with incentives for two years for generating additional employment. The manufacturing sector is eligible for extended support for an additional two years.
The main event was broadcast at 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 Member of Parliament Lok Sabha Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha Sat Sharma, and more than 600 participants. Twenty employment letters were distributed at Jammu and six at Samba.
Labour Commissioner J&K Charandeep Singh, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I Sumeet Singh, beneficiaries, employers, industry association representatives, public representatives, senior officials, and EPFO officers and staff attended the programmes at different venues. The employer representative highlighted the positive impact of the scheme on industries and businesses, while the employee representative shared his experience regarding benefits received and appreciated the government’s efforts to support workers through direct financial assistance.
