Raj govt announces unemployment allowance for youth

Fulfilling one of its major promises mentioned in the manifesto of Assembly polls held in December, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday announced to raise the unemployment allowance for the youth of the state from March 1.

"Girls will get Rs 3,500 and boys Rs 3,000 as unemployment allowance for two years," Gehlot said while addressing youth at the Rajasthan University on Thursday afternoon.

In his address to students after inaugurating office of Rajasthan University student union president at the campus, Gehlot said, "I had introduced the unemployment allowance during my last tenure. It began with Rs 600. Now, the girls will get Rs 3,500 and the boys Rs 3,000," he added. The chief minister further said, that countdown for unemployment wage for youth will start from February 1, and jobless youth will get it from March 1.

Before his address group of students belonging to ABVP held a protest demanding jobs and unemployment wages as per the Congress poll manifesto.

The Congress in its election manifesto had promised unemployment allowance to youths if it was voted to power.

The announcement comes close on the heels of Rahul Gandhi's pre-poll promise at a rally in Raipur that his party will implement a minimum income guarantee for the poor if the Congress is voted to power in 2019.

Three days ago, the BJP in Rajasthan had started a statewide movement over the issue of ten per cent reservation to Economically Weaker Section (EWS), farm loan waiver and unemployment allowance. The BJP had accused Congress government in the state of deceiving the people of the state, BJP members in all 33 districts across state agitated and handed over a memorandum to district administration officials addressed to Governor Kalyan Singh on Monday.