All 4,041 statutory cities/towns to be covered under urban component of DAY

Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu says Rs.500 cr on skill development of urban poor during 2014-15

Minister says, skills stimulate self-worth and nation’s economy

                The Government today announced an overarching scheme for uplift of urban and rural poor through enhancement of livelihood opportunities through skill development and other means. The scheme has been named as ‘Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – DAY’. The announcement was made today by Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Rural Development at a National Convention on Skills for Rural and Urban Poor.

                The Minister further informed that under the current urban poverty alleviation programmes, only 790 cities and towns are covered and the government has decided to extend these measures to all the 4,041 statutory cities and towns, there by covering almost the entire urban population.

                Announcing the details of urban component of DAY, Shri Venkaiah Naidu said, Rs.1,000 cr has been provisioned for urban poverty alleviation during 2014-15. Out of this, Rs.500 cr will be spent on skill development of over 5,00,000 urban poor. He said, for realizing the ‘Make in India’ objective, skill development is essential. He observed that “If India is to emerge as the manufacturing base to meet global needs, the only certain way is to empower every youth of the country with the necessary skills. Skill development has multiple outcomes including enhancing employment opportunities, stimulating economic growth and promoting self-worth of beneficiaries.’’

                Shri Venkaiah Naidu informed that under the urban component of DAY, focus will be on:

1.Imparting skills with an expenditure of Rs.15,000 – Rs.18,000 on each urban poor;

2.Promotion of self-employment through setting up individual micro-enterprises and group enterprises with interest subsidy for individual projects costing Rs.2.00 lakhs and Rs.10.00 lakhs for group enterprises. Subsidized interest rate will be 7%;

3.Training urban poor to meet the huge demand from urban citizens by imparting market oriented skills through City Livelihood Centres. Each Centre would be given a capital grant of Rs.10.00 lakhs.

4.Enabling urban poor form Self-Help Groups for meeting financial and social needs with a support of Rs.10,000/- per each group who would in turn would be helped with bank linkages;

5. Development of vendor markets besides promotion of skills of vendors; and

6. Construction of permanent shelters for urban homeless and provision of other essential services.

A A Rao (9810618919)