Rs.100 crore scheme for urban youth, to be launched by Tamil Nadu government

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to launch an Urban Employment scheme for the people of the state. This scheme is akin to the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) program of the country. The MGNREGS primarily focuses on the generation of wage employment for rural areas. Unlike MGNREGS this present scheme by the Tamil government is directed towards wage employment in the urban areas.  An outlay of Rs100 crore has been allocated for this flagship program.  During the pandemic majority of the urban youth has lost their source of income generation. Therefore, in the wake of the pandemic, through this scheme, the government aims to provide a reliable employment opportunity to the urban poor by engaging them in the construction and maintenance of public assets like a park, playground, buildings, roads, water bodies, etc. This was announced on Tuesday by the Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply i.e., K.N. Nehru in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Highlights of the scheme:

1. This is a pilot scheme and will be implemented in a phased manner.
2. “The scheme will be executed in 2 zones in Greater Chennai Corporation, 1 zone each in the other municipal corporations and 1 municipality each under the 7 regional directorates of municipal administration and 1 town panchayat each in 37 districts”.
3. The fund of the scheme will be state-sponsored.

Details of the scheme are yet to be received