Himachal Govt’s start-up scheme fails to provide any employment
Tribune News Service
Solan, August 28
A year after its launch, the state government’s much publicised Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Start-up Scheme has failed to benefit the youth. This was revealed by the state government in a query raised in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session.
As per the state government’s reply, as many as 121 youth have applied under the start-up scheme and, administrative and financial approval of Rs 13 crore was granted for it on August 16. Though the eligible youth had registered themselves, they were yet to get the requisite financial subsidy almost a year after the scheme was launched.
In order to provide self-employment opportunities to the youth, the state government had launched this Rs 680-crore start-up scheme in 2023. Under this scheme, 50 per cent subsidy was being provided on the purchase of e-taxi, which were to be attached with the state government offices. The government was supposed to issue 500 e-taxi permits in the first phase.
Under this scheme, the banks were supposed to provide loans to the youth at concessional rates to ease the financial burden. Besides, the Chief Minister had assured that the government would give guarantee on the loan for e-taxi. However, enquiries reveal that the banks were reluctant to fund these ventures merely on the insistence of the state government.
While the banks preferred to follow the banking norms for extending loans fearing the increase in their non-performing assets, officials in the Industry Department feel the state government should extend some funds to the cooperative banks to fund these ventures.
