The Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved the SWAYAM scheme, which is meant to provide interest-free loans to unemployed youths. However, the scheme has been rebranded for fresh launching and it is, in fact, a scheme of the Central Government, the BJP alleged on Tuesday.
The State Government has tried to hijack yet another scheme of the Central Government. The scheme is to be launched soon ahead of general elections just to bias the youngsters and to grab votes, the party alleged.
“The programme through which the State Government will provide interest-free loans originally belongs to the Central Government. The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises has a provision for granting loans up to a maximum limit of Rs 5 crore. Instead, the State Government has limited it to Rs 1 lakh only,†BJP State spokesperson Anil Biswal told mediapersons.
“Besides, the ruling party has failed in keeping its words. In its manifestoes during the 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJD Government had committed to provide jobs to around 56 lakh unemployed youths which was subsequently not kept. The recently-announced assistance of Rs 1,000 each to the public distribution system (PDS) beneficiaries is in a sense ‘bribe’ to prospective voters,†Biswal added.
Notably, the Odisha Government has announced the launch of a scheme ‘Swatantra Yuva Udyami (SWAYAM)’ to promote self-employment opportunities among the young population in the State.
