Link Unemployment Allowance With Aadhar To Reduce Leakage

Pinki Ramaul

(The writer is based at Paonta Sahib, Sirmaur)

The state government by announcing Rs. 1000 per month unemployed allowance for 12th standard and above qualified candidates in its 2017-18 financial budget has fulfilled one of the promises made in its election manifesto. Provision of Rs. 150 crore has already been made for the same. Notably, more than 1.5 lakh youths with 12th and above qualification are registered in employment exchanges of the state. And majority of them fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria for unemployed allowance.

However they will have to fulfill other norms too. Necessary decision needs to be taken in some of the norms for unemployment allowance. This scheme has already failed in Uttar Pradesh and few other states. Therefore state government will have to take utmost care that the scheme is planned and executed properly. First of all the applicant should have passed 12th class from Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education. It would be justified to implement the state funded scheme for Himachal bonafide people only.

Besides this, provision of at least one year old registration in employment exchange could also be made mandatory to avail unemployment allowance. Age criteria also needs to be set and it could be made between 20 to 35 years. Application for the scheme could be invited online under Digital India mission to reduce personal interactions of applicants with government employees. This will also help in reducing corruption.

Settlement of online application should be ensured in a time bound manner. In fact citizen charter should be applied for same as is developed in some other departments or schemes. The scheme could be linked with aadhar so as to transfer the benefit directly into the beneficiary’s account. This can help in keeping a check on misuse of the scheme. Some financial experts have an opinion that this scheme is impractical and will directly affect the development of the state. However this is only one aspect of the scheme. The impartial estimate-profit analysis of the scheme clearly points out to the positive aspect of the scheme.

Shortage of officials, employees in employment exchanges could pose a hurdle in implementation of the scheme. But it also presents an opportunity for the government for reorganisation of government departments. Independent website for the scheme and computerisation of  employment exchanges could prove handy in proper implementation of the scheme. The government should fast complete the formalities related to implementation of the scheme so that the policy is implemented on ground before imposition of elections model code of conduct.

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