To make people of rural regions self-sufficient, West Bengal Swarojgar Corporation Limited (WBSCL) has decided to develop 76 villages across the State as model villages. The villages have been selected in such a way that two each have been chosen from 38 subdivisions, across 11 districts.
In collaboration with various departments, Swarojgar Corporation will undertake various developmental projects in these villages like cultivation of fish, digging of ponds, animal husbandry, and others.
As it is, unemployed youths across the State are given loans under Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasuchi Prakalpa. Under this new project, rural youth would be given a certain preference. They would be given, free of cost, fish, chicken and duck hatchlings, and cows, buffaloes and goats. Taking up animal husbandry would enable rural youths to earn Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per month, according to Government officials.
Based on the results from these 76 villages, such coordinated inter-departmental activities would be undertaken across many more villages.
According to WBSCL officials, as a result of this project, thousands of youth will find self-employment. The 11 districts to be covered in the first phase are North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad, Jhargram, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur. Nine more districts have been planned to be covered next year.
Soon after coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had made self-employment for the jobless one of her priorities, and the State Government’s efforts have been bearing positive results.
From giving stipends to the jobless to set up business to setting an Employment Bank to giving loans under Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasuchi Prakalpa to various other projects, the developments have been numerous and far-reaching.
Source: Bartaman