46.89 lakh people benefitted under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana

NEW DELHI: As many as 46.89 lakh people have been benefitted under the

Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana

(ABRY), which was aimed at incentivising job creation amid the pandemic,

Parliament

was informed on Thursday.

"Benefits have been provided to 46.89 lakh beneficiaries through 1.26 lakh establishments till January 29, 2022," Minister of State for Labour Rameshwar Teli said in a written reply to the

Rajya Sabha

.

The ABRY was launched with effect from October 1, 2020, as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat package 3.0 to incentivise employers for the creation of new employment, along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This scheme, being implemented through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), seeks to reduce the financial burden of the employers and encourage them to hire more workers.

The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries has been extended from June 30, 2021, to March 31, 2022.

In another written reply, the minister told the

House

that under the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (

ABVKY

), as many as 82,724 claims were received and out of this, 61,314 claims were approved as of February 7, 2022.

These beneficiaries have been paid Rs 81.46 crore, he added.

Under the ABVKY, being implemented by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), the unemployment benefit, subject to eligibility conditions, is paid to insured workers who lose their job.

The unemployment benefit under the ABVKY has been enhanced to 50 per cent from 25 per cent of the average daily earning, payable up to 90 days, along with the relaxation of eligibility conditions to claim the benefit for insured workers who have lost employment due to Covid-19.

The scheme came into force on July 1, 2018, and extended twice from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, and again from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.