Thousands await unemployment dole

VARANASI: The unemployment allowance scheme, which was announced by the state government soon after it came to power last year, is not serving the purpose for a majority of unemployed youth in the district.
Over 40,000 youth in the district, who registered themselves at the employment exchange after August 31, 2012, are not getting the benefits of the scheme.
Assistant director, regional employment exchange, RK Singh, said that 41,522 candidates were registered in Varanasi from September 2012 to October 2013. The unemployment allowance scheme has considered only those candidates who are registered on and before August 31, 2012. A huge list is pending. The government had to update this criteria. Nothing has been done so far, he informed. "Although the registration at the employment office is compulsory in some select government sector jobs but for a majority of people, the sole purpose of registration is the unemployment allowance. Since the criteria for the allowance is yet to be updated, a huge list is awaited," he said.
More than 1.5 lakh candidates were registered at the employment office last year. The district administration had to shift the venue for registration process at the cultural complex in Chawkaghat area in order to control the crowd at that time. "Even today, more than 60 to 70 registrations are done each day. The first question posed by the candidates is regarding the unemployment allowance," he said.
Rekha, a resident of the city, said: "I got registered for the unemployment allowance in April this year, thinking that the registration date will be updated but I am not yet a beneficiary of the scheme." Ashish Singh, another candidate, said that he too awaits the benefits of the scheme.
The announcement that the beneficiaries of the scheme will have to do some job as per the capability and educational qualification is also lingering. "So far no direction has been given under this," informed Singh.
The employment exchange is providing job to selected registered youngsters by conducting yearly job fares. As many as 50 people were recruited in 2012 while 315 registered candidates were recruited in 2011. A job fair is likely to be held by the end of December.