Murshidabad District Emerges as Frontrunner in Bengal's Yuva Sathi Scheme
West Bengal's newly launched Yuva Sathi scheme has witnessed an overwhelming response, with Murshidabad district taking the lead by registering approximately 1.6 lakh applications out of a statewide total of around 12 lakh as of Monday. This significant figure highlights the district's proactive engagement with the government's unemployment relief initiative.
District-Wide Application Trends and Registration Process
While Murshidabad dominates the application numbers, Kalimpong district finds itself at the bottom of the list with only 3,700 registrations. Other districts demonstrating high participation include Purulia, Bankura, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, and East Midnapore.
The scheme, officially rolled out on Sunday, allows unemployed youths aged between 21 and 40 who have passed at least the Class X board examinations to apply for a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500. This financial support will be provided for a maximum period of five years or until the beneficiary secures employment, whichever occurs first, with payments commencing on April 1.
Online registration commenced on Monday, with applicants able to visit the official portal at https://apas.wb.gov.in/ to submit their details by entering mobile numbers and uploading necessary documents. As of 5 PM on Monday, online applications totaled 9,000, while offline registrations accounted for the majority through 1,604 camps established across 294 assembly constituencies statewide.
Ground-Level Implementation and Beneficiary Perspectives
In Murshidabad, the registration drive has been particularly vigorous, with 1,55,380 youths applying at five key camps located in Berhampore, Lalbag, Domkal, Kandi, and Jangipur during the first two days. The district recorded over 77,000 applications on the inaugural Sunday alone. In contrast, neighboring Malda district managed only 13,805 applications on Sunday, placing it 19th among the 23 districts, and despite a slight increase on Monday, it remained far behind Murshidabad's figures.
Beneficiaries on the ground have expressed optimism about the scheme's impact. Sreejeeta Paul, a Chartered Accountant aspirant from north Kolkata's Doctors' Lane, stated after queuing at a camp in central Kolkata, "This money will help me pay my phone bills and take care of sundry small expenses." Similarly, Shalu Pandey, a 22-year-old from Burrabazar, remarked, "This scheme will be of immense help to those of us who are trying to continue our education while shouldering financial burden."
Rashbehari MLA Debasis Kumar, who has been supervising multiple camps in Kolkata, emphasized the scheme's inclusive nature, saying, "Everyone will benefit from the scheme, irrespective of political affiliation or social background. Those who are highly educated but have yet to get a job will find this scheme particularly useful."
Political Controversy Surrounding the Scheme
The rollout of Yuva Sathi has ignited a political confrontation, centering on the issue of unemployment. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of using the scheme as part of its electoral strategy. In response, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh countered, "Who is BJP to lecture on employment? Where are the 2 crore jobs they promised? Has anyone you know secured a central govt job?" This exchange underscores the deep-seated political tensions over economic policies and job creation in the state.
As the registration process continues, the Yuva Sathi scheme remains a focal point of both public interest and political debate, reflecting the urgent need for employment solutions in West Bengal.
