Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana (PMBBY) is an unemployment allowance scheme launched by the Indian government. It aims to provide financial assistance to unemployed individuals in the country. This article provides complete information on PMBBY including its purpose, benefits, eligibility criteria, application process and more.
What is Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana
The Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana (Prime Minister’s Unemployment Allowance Scheme) is a social security and welfare scheme introduced by the Indian government. Under this scheme, the government plans to provide a monthly unemployment allowance to individuals who lack employment and source of income in the country.
The unemployment allowance given under PMBBY aims to support unemployed individuals financially while also promoting self-employment opportunities for them. The plan for PMBBY was announced in the 2022 Union Budget speech by the Finance Minister. The scheme is still in its early stages and the government is working out the details for its full launch.
Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana aims to achieve the following key objectives:
- Provide a fixed monthly allowance to unemployed people to cover their basic expenses
- Encourage and empower unemployed youth to take up skill development programs to enhance employability
- Provide subsidized loans to allow beneficiaries to start self-employment ventures and micro enterprises
- Increase job demand through infrastructure investments and incentivize corporate hiring
The launch of PMBBY would make India one of the few nations globally to offer direct unemployment benefits to citizens. The scheme intends to promote financial independence through a social security net for the unemployed.
How to apply for Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana
As of now, Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana is still in the initial planning stages with detailed guidelines awaited regarding registration, application process and disbursement mechanisms.
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Once launched, eligible unemployed individuals can apply for PMBBY through the following process and steps (tentative):
Step 1) Visit the Official Portal
The government is likely to launch a dedicated online portal for registration and submission of applications under the Berojgari Bhatta Yojana. Candidates can visit the official website using any internet-enabled device.
Step 2) Registration
Unemployed candidates need to create a profile by registering themselves on the portal. This includes furnishing key details like name, contact information, qualification, Aadhaar number, etc.
Step 3) Submit Application Form
After creating the profile, candidates can then log in to fill and submit the official PMBBY application form providing all the required details as per form fields. Most details will be added during profile creation itself.
Step 4) Upload Documents
Applicants also need to upload scanned soft copies of supporting documents as per the scheme’s eligibility criteria. This includes:
• Aadhaar Card
• Education & Income certificates
• Residence proof
• Photo ID Proof
• Caste Certificate
• Bank account details
Step 5) Track Application Status
Candidates can log in and track the real time status of their PMBBY application through the portal dashboard. The status displays various stages like Submitted, Pending, Rejected or Approved.
The above process may include additional steps for validation, approval and disbursement of benefits which would be clarified after the schemes detailed guidelines are released.
Purpose of Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Scheme
Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana has been envisioned by the government to serve the following key purposes:
- Provide income support to unemployed – The primary objective of the PMBBY scheme is to provide financial assistance by way of unemployment allowance so that basic needs of beneficiaries can be met. Lack of steady income sources often drives citizens to extreme poverty, debt traps or even suicide. The scheme represents a social safety net and protective cover from contingencies.
- Promote skill development & re-employment – By providing a fixed monthly income to unemployed individuals, PMBBY aims to empower and enable them to enrol for and complete crucial skill enhancement programs they might avoid due to income constraints. This could significantly improve their job prospects over time.
- Encourage self-employment ventures – Along with skill training, the scheme also intends to promote self-employment opportunities. The unemployment stipend can help citizens utilize their talent to undertake micro business enterprises, freelancing gigs, home based work, etc. while presenting access to easy credit for those wanting to become micro entrepreneurs.
- Reduce social inequity – India’s high unemployment rate disproportionately affects socio-economically backward sections including SC, ST and OBC communities, minorities groups, differently abled as well as migrant labourers. The scheme tries to promote equitable access to state support for vulnerable non-worker groups.
- Stimulate economy through consumption – Money disbursed to the unemployed will likely fund their pending expenses, bills, EMIs and other payments. This may have a net positive effect by stimulating overall consumption and demand within multiple sectors and industries.
Taken together, the PMBBY represents a robust social welfare scheme designed to benefit citizens facing financial hardship due to unemployment while also addressing structural issues ailing India’s job generation ecosystem.
Benefits Of Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Scheme
Some of the major benefits offered by the Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana are:
- Direct Monthly Assistance
Unemployed individuals will get a fixed monthly stipend credited directly to their bank accounts. This ensures regular income flow to meet basic expenses like food, utilities, healthcare, etc. without undergoing destitution. - Career Guidance & Opportunities
The scheme provides career counseling, skill mapping assessments and information on available vacancies to align beneficiaries with suitable jobs or vocational training. - Promotes Self Employment
PMBBY beneficiaries can take subsidized loans under other schemes of the government to set up small businesses catering to local demand and become solopreneurs. The initial monthly allowance can cover setup costs. - Accidental & Disability Cover
The scheme also offers enrollment in the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana which gives accident insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh along with disability compensation to all account holders. This protects beneficiaries against contingencies. - Aadhaar Card Linkage
Aadhaar linkage during application automatically registers beneficiaries for other welfare schemes while eliminating bogus applicants. Jan Dhan account linkage enables seamless transfer of benefits directly. - Periodic Assessment
Progress of beneficiaries is assessed periodically for any improvement in employment status through local agencies. Allowance eligibility may change after securing work. - Digital Access to Government Services
Scheme members can avail digital services like applying for jobs, business loans, accessing pension schemes, insurance policies, online training courses etc. through assistance centres and dedicated portals.
Along with the direct unemployment allowance, linkage of PMBBY with other flagship schemes of GOI around financial inclusion, micro-enterprise promotion, skilling India etc. can prove advantageous to members. The composite benefits package aims for overall socio-economic uplift of the target group facing the brunt of job scarcity.
Eligibility Criteria for Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana
While the government is still finalizing detailed guidelines, the broad eligibility criteria for PMBBY based on current information is as follows:
• Indian citizens within age group of 18-40 years
• Have minimum educational qualification – Class 10 pass
• Unemployed with no existing source of income
• Not receiving any other unemployment allowance
Certain categories may receive relaxation in age and qualification criteria:
• Widows above 18 years of age
• Divyangs or Differently Abled Persons
Additionally, applicants must:
- Possess an Aadhaar Card
- Have a Jan Dhan bank account linked with Aadhaar
- Register as unemployed on Employment Exchange for minimum 1 month
All interested and eligible unemployed citizens must register themselves at the nearest Employment Exchange office or on National Career Service Portal highlighting their academic record and job skills. This is necessary for initiating profiling and identification of applicants for the Berojgari Bhatta Yojana as and when it rolls out across the country.
Scheme Benefits Amount under Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana
Under the Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana, all eligible selected unemployed candidates will receive a fixed monthly income support from the government credited into their Aadhaar linked Jan Dhan accounts.
The exact monthly remuneration amount is yet to be officially announced. But as per Budget 2022 announcements, the government has allocated an outlay of around Rs. 1500 crore towards the initial phase of the unemployment allowance scheme.
Media reports suggest the monthly payout to each beneficiary may be fixed in the range of Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3000. Additionally, beneficiaries may also receive subsidized loans around Rs 50,000 – 1 Lakh for taking up self-employment drives or launching new micro enterprises under existing schemes like PMEGP that promote opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.
The scale and magnitude of this scheme’s rollout will depend greatly on the allocated budgetary resources and funding. But it represents a landmark step in providing social security cover and direct income transfers for supporting citizens facing financial struggles due to unemployment.
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan scheme is also focused on providing post retirement pension benefits to workers of the unorganized sector. Membership under this scheme guarantees fixed monthly pension after attaining the age of 60. It engages beneficiaries through continuous contribution safeguards during their employment years itself.
Workers aged between 18 to 40 years with monthly income below Rs. 15,000 are eligible. The subscriber needs to make a nominal contribution ranging from Rs. 55 to Rs. 200 per month depending upon their entry age into the scheme, with equal contribution from the Union Government. Pension eligibility depends on making regular contributions for a minimum of 20 years.
An unorganized sector worker registered under the Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana can simultaneously apply for the Shram Yogi Maandhan Scheme as well to avail retirement social security benefits in the long term.
Implementation Modalities for Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana
The Centre along with State governments will be jointly responsible for the implementation of PMBBY. Key aspects include:
- Maintaining a registry of unemployed citizens seeking work through employment exchanges.
- Verifying applicant details for income status, age, residency proofs, Aadhaar identity etc.
- Digital payments enabled through the India Post Payments Bank ecosystem and banking correspondents model.
- Fund allocation and monitoring of expenditure across states, districts and urban local bodies.
- Periodic review of beneficiaries job status and skill development progress through local agencies.
- Linkages with National Career Counseling Centers for assessment tests and opportunity mapping.
- Collaborating with MSME Ministry for easy finance access towards self-employment ventures.
The scheme may be launched via a phased rollout with final administrative structure privy to localized constraints and priorities for optimized delivery of entitlements to unemployed citizens.
Budget Allocation for Pradhanmantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana
For the initial phase, the Centre has announced an outlay of Rs. 1,500 crore towards framing the architecture and launch of the Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana in 2022-23.
As per sources, this allocation may assist almost 5 lakh unemployed youth with job loss income support for a period of 6 months. The number of beneficiaries supported is likely to increase substantially once States share the financial burden as per eligibility parameters defined in the final guidelines.
With India having an estimated 8.7% unemployment rate as per Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data, the total budgetary allocation for PMBBY will definitely need enhancing via supplementary grants to extend coverage.
The scheme is envisioned to boost employability through skill training linkage. Over time, with economic revival, jobs creation through flagship programs like Make in India & StartUp India may also gather steam to absorb the youth seeking livelihoods.
Conclusion
In summary, the Pradhan Mantri Berojgari Bhatta Yojana aims to transform India’s social security landscape for the working age population facing the brunt of unemployment. The scheme proposes to put income directly in the hands of jobless citizens enabling them to afford a dignified lifestyle.