In a significant move to boost industrial growth and social security, the Central Government’s "Pradhan Mantri Vikasit Bharat Rozgar Yojana" (PM-VBRY) is set to begin disbursing financial benefits starting March 2026. Shri Jayavadan Engale, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I of the EPFO Raipur office, shared that this ambitious scheme, launched on August 1, 2025, aims to incentivize job creation in the manufacturing sector and beyond while providing economic stability to first-time employees.

Under this scheme, employees entering the workforce for the first time with a newly generated UAN (Universal Account Number) are eligible for an incentive of up to ₹15,000, distributed in two installments at six-month intervals. For the employer's side, the government offers a reward of up to ₹3,000 per new employee after six months of stable employment. Illustrating the scale of the benefit, Shri Engale noted that if an employer provides steady jobs to 100 employees for six months, they can receive up to ₹18 lakh in total incentives from the Government of India.

The scheme covers employment created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027, focusing on employees with a monthly salary of up to ₹1 lakh. To qualify for the first installment, an employee must complete six months of service with consistent ECR (Electronic Challan-cum-Return) filings. While the scheme remains effective for four years for manufacturing and production units, other sectors can avail of the benefits for two years. Nationwide, the initiative targets the creation of over 3.5 crore jobs with a total budget outlay of ₹99,446 crore.

In Chhattisgarh, 7,925 employers have already registered for the scheme, and they will receive the incentives directly into their bank accounts. To ensure smooth processing, first-time employees must link their bank accounts with Aadhaar to receive the initial installment of ₹7,500. Employers must ensure that ECRs from August 2025 to February 2026 are filed before March 15, 2026, and that exit dates for any departed employees are updated. Shri Engale emphasized that this multidimensional scheme is a vital step toward a "Vikasit Bharat" by strengthening the bond between employers and the workforce.

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