Srinagar, Jun 19 (KNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday disbursed incentives worth around Rs 2,400 crore to more than 15 lakh beneficiaries across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), with 1,522 employees and 304 employers in Jammu and Kashmir receiving benefits under the scheme.
According to officials, incentives worth Rs 74 lakh were transferred to 1,522 employees in the Union Territory, while around Rs 25.42 crore was credited directly to the bank accounts of 304 employers.
Addressing a national programme held at Vigyan Bhavan, Modi said the PM-VBRY was aimed at empowering first-time employees and creating a bridge between industry and the workforce.
He said India's youth were gaining global recognition for their talent and skills and the government was committed to ensuring that every young person gets an opportunity to realise his or her potential.
The Prime Minister said the scheme was more than an employment initiative and was designed to strengthen the aspirations of young people entering their first jobs while supporting industries that generate employment.
As part of the nationwide event, programmes were held at multiple locations across Jammu and Kashmir, including Srinagar, Jammu, Budgam and Samba.
Addressing the UT-level programme virtually, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the scheme had given a new impetus to job creation, employability and social security in the formal sector.
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Sinha said the programme marked a significant step in Jammu and Kashmir's employment landscape and reflected the aspirations and opportunities available to the region's youth.
He said workers in Jammu and Kashmir had been brought under comprehensive social security coverage following the implementation of the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act in the Union Territory in November 2019.
The Lieutenant Governor said more than 3,300 establishments in Jammu and Kashmir had registered under the scheme, bringing over 22,500 youths into the formal employment system for the first time. He said more than 31,000 job opportunities had qualified for incentives, benefiting over 53,000 citizens.
According to officials, PM-VBRY is an employment-linked incentive scheme aimed at promoting formal employment, supporting first-time entrants into the organised workforce and encouraging employers to create additional jobs.
Under the scheme, eligible first-time employees receive one month's wage up to Rs 15,000, while employers are provided incentives for creating additional employment. The manufacturing sector is eligible for extended support for an additional two years.
During the programme in Jammu, 20 appointment letters were distributed to newly employed workers, while six appointment letters were handed over during a separate event in Samba, officials said. (KNS).