HP: Virbhadra Singh non committal on unemployment allowance

Congress had promised unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to unemployed youth in HP before the last assembly election.

Shimla, Feb 28: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today remained non-committal to granting an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to unemployed youths, a promise made by his Congress party before the last Assembly election.

The Himachal Pradesh Congress had formed an eight-member panel to discuss the issue of unemployment allowance with Singh, after leaders expressed divergent views on it. The committee, headed by State party president Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu, on Tuesday apprised Singh about the feedback from party cadres on the issue.

The Chief Minister reportedly cited financial constraints as reason for not granting unemployment allowance but agreed to meet the state Congress chief and other party leaders for further discussion on the issue.

The Congress had promised an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to unemployed youths in poll manifesto in 2012, but the chief minister opted for skill development scheme and turned down the demand for unemployment allowance.

However, Transport Minister G S Bali, who was a member of the Manifesto Committee, said that the government must fulfil the promise to grant unemployment allowance. Sukkhu and former HPCC president Viplov Thakur supported Bali.

PTI