Kolkata: The West Bengal government has announced a number of welfare schemes during its annual budgetary outlay.
The highlight is the Rs 1500 monthly assistance scheme for the jobless. Named Banglar Yuba-Sathi, this scheme will start from August 15. The beneficiaries will be unemployed youths, male or female, who have passed Madhyamik and are aged between 21 and 40. The beneficiaries must not receive any other welfare cash from the government. The scheme will continue for a beneficiary for a maximum of 5 years, but the assistance will be withdrawn once he/she secures a job.
The other highlight is the government enhancing the benefits under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Currently, 2.21 crore women aged 25 to 60 receive a monthly cash assistance of Rs 1,000. The assistance will now be increased by Rs 500 a month from February itself. This means that women in the general category will receive Rs 1500, while those from the SC and ST categories will receive Rs 1700.
In addition, the landless farm labourers will get an annual Rs 4000 aid in 2 installments starting from April. A database will be prepared for those who earn their livelihood solely by working on others’ farmlands. The benefits also include a Rs 1,000 increase in honorariums for the Anganwadi and Asha workers, as well as civic volunteers and para-teachers. This will be applicable from April only.
Last but not least, tens of thousands of gig workers across the state will be brought under the state government’s Swasthya Sathi health insurance scheme. A survey will be conducted on the gig workers who can then apply for assistance on the government portal. Gig workers can get Rs 2 lakh in assistance for their daughters’ marriages or when they fall ill. There will be provision for compensation too in case of death.
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