KMC continues to train unemployed youth

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is continuing its programme of providing vocational training to unemployed youth despite the Narendra Modi government stalling the supply of tool kits under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) since 2015.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the state municipal affairs department have been spending nearly Rs 3 crore annually from its own exchequer to continue the training programme that was launched in 2014. The KMC had started the training programme in 2014 under the Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana scheme of the Central government for providing gainful employment to the urban unemployed and underemployed poor, through encouraging the setting up of self-employment ventures by the urban and rural poor living below the poverty line. The scheme was implemented on a cost-sharing basis between the Centre and the states in the ratio of 75:25.

“However, after the Modi government came to power the scheme was transferred to NULM and supply of tool kits for the training was stopped. Initially, there were hardships but KMC has overcome the troubled times and arranged funds on our own to continue the training. We have trained as many as 18,000 youth in 2015-16 and have arranged for employment of majority of them,” Swapan Samaddar, member mayor in council (SJSRY), said.

The training is provided ward wise in all the 144 wards of the KMC. The modules that have been very popular among unemployed males are  computer, driving, security services etc while women have joined sewing, beautician courses, boutique etc.