SP to launch country-wide agitation for unemployment allowance

Etawah, UP, Aug 2 (UNI) The ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) today announced to launch a country-wide agitation in favour of providing unemployment allowance to youth.

Chief Minister and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said in Saifai his party would soon hold a protest demonstration in the National Capital to press for the demand of unemployment allowance across India. ''While the SP has already launched such a programme in bordering Uttaranchal, similar agitations would shortly follow in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh,'' he asserted.

The CM said while all state governments should ensure such an allowance, the Centre itself should frame a policy on the issue.

The SP supremo also took the opportunuity to slam the Opposition for its claims that UP was disbursing unemployment allowance and Kanya Vidyadhan to use the beneficiaries for booth capturing during the assembly elections due next year.

''The two schemes are meant to help the youth chart out a bright future...people who consider it as an election stunt have a narrow mentality,'' he observed.

He reminded the audience the state government had sought central funds to provide unemployment allowance.

''While former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did not respond to the letter, present incumbent Manmohan Singh took cognisance of the second of the two letters written to him...Dr Singh said the Centre did not consider unemployment allowance as developmental work. His letter, therefore, exposes the claims of Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit that UP was providing the allowance using central funds.'' He claimed the Centre had announced the payment of the allowance to the youth, but could not provide funds to UP, despite repeated pleas to the PM and the union labour minister. ''We have generated funds from our own resources and so far four lakh youth have been given assistance at the rate of Rs 500 per month.'' The government had fixed a target to pay the allowance to eight lakh youth, the SP chief informed. ''Although, it is called unemployment allowance, it is being given to the unemployed as a token of help to compete in exams to get jobs.'' Mr Yadav said since Ms Dikshit has so far not offered an unconditional apology for her baseless allegation, he would ensure the central government and Congress stood exposed on various issues.

Making light of former PM Vishwanath Pratap Singh's plans to plough land under the Dadri power project scheme, Mr Yadav said it would be interesting to watch a 'raja' drive a tractor.

''While my government paid six times the market price for 2,800 acres of land for Dadri project, in Haryana and West Bengal, 10,000 acres of land was acquired at throw away prices. But, UP is being delibrately targetted for petty political gains,'' he quipped.

The CM was in Saifai today to disburse cheques for unemployment allowance and Kanya Vidyadhan scheme to candidates from the Agra division comprising Mainpuri, Etah and Ferozabad districts. A total of Rs 20 crore was disbursed to 20,000 candidates today under the two schemes. While in Kanya Vidyadhan, girls get Rs 20,000 each, the unemployed youth get Rs 500 per month.

Highlighting different developmental projects, he said the Kanya Vidyadhan Yojna of UP had drawn the attention from other states.

''The government has received several enquiries on this programme and soon other states will follow suit.'' The CM regretted that illiteracy among women was still at 42 per cent and the Yojna was drawing the attention of women folk to send their daughters to schools.

''There is no caste or religion consideration, while distributing the funds among the girl students.'' He claimed the government had distributed Rs 600 crore under the scheme and if needed, the same could be increased.

UNI MB/NAB VS MSJ BD1557