Scheme for unemployed youth to begin immediately ahead of International Women’s Day
March 7, 2026: Ahead of the assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, announced that unemployed youth who have passed the secondary examination (Class 10) will receive a monthly allowance of ₹1,500. Speaking during a protest against alleged voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India, Banerjee said the assistance will be given to young men and women aged between 21 and 40 years to support them in becoming self-reliant.
The All India Trinamool Congress leader said the scheme, linked to the Yuva Sathi initiative, was originally scheduled to start on April 1 but has been advanced to March 7 as a gesture ahead of International Women’s Day. According to Banerjee, around one crore applicants have registered for the programme, which targets individuals who are not beneficiaries of other government schemes apart from scholarships.
Highlighting her government’s employment efforts, Banerjee said the state has provided skill training to nearly 40 lakh people through programmes like Utkarsha Bangla, with about 10 lakh already employed. She also cited development projects such as economic corridors, new power plants in Salboni and the coal reserve project at Deucha Pachami in Birbhum, claiming these initiatives will generate large-scale employment and strengthen the state’s economy.