Jammu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday disbursed incentives worth around ₹2,400 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), benefiting more than 15 lakh first-time employees and employers across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), while Jammu and Kashmir emerged as one of the key beneficiaries under the employment-linked initiative.
Addressing a national programme held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi and connected virtually to nearly 200 locations across the country, the Prime Minister said the PM-VBRY has already generated more than 70 lakh jobs and is creating a stronger bridge between youth and industry.
He said employment generation grows manifold when the government, industry and young people work together and described the scheme as an effort to empower first-time employees while strengthening India’s future workforce.
“PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana is much more than an employment scheme. It is designed to strengthen the aspirations of young people entering their first jobs while creating a robust bridge between industry and the workforce,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister noted that Indian youth are gaining global recognition for their skills and talent and asserted that India’s young population will play a leading role in global growth, entrepreneurship and innovation in the coming decades.
Under the PM-VBRY scheme, the Centre has earmarked an outlay of ₹99,446 crore with a target of generating 3.5 crore employment opportunities over two years.
Eligible first-time employees receive financial assistance equivalent to one month’s wage up to ₹15,000, while employers are eligible for incentives of up to ₹3,000 per month for every additional employee. Manufacturing sector employers receive extended support for up to four years.
In Jammu and Kashmir, 1,522 employees received incentives amounting to ₹74 lakh, while incentives worth nearly ₹25.42 crore were transferred directly into the bank accounts of 304 employers.
Special programmes linked to the national event were organised at Convention Centre Jammu and Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Samba by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who addressed the UT-level event virtually, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for strengthening employment generation and expanding social security coverage in Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling the occasion historic, the Lieutenant Governor said it reflected the transformation underway in the Union Territory.
“This is not merely a programme for distributing financial benefits but a celebration of Jammu & Kashmir’s transformative journey and the aspirations and opportunities shaping the future of our youth,” he said.
Sinha said sustained efforts under the Prime Minister’s leadership have strengthened job creation and social protection systems and described PM-VBRY as a landmark initiative in this direction.
Referring to labour reforms after 2019, he said workers in Jammu and Kashmir had earlier remained outside comprehensive social security protection, but after implementation of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 in November 2019, lakhs of workers in the region became part of the national social security framework.
He said the scheme seeks to make formal employment the norm and ensure that social security reaches every citizen while opening opportunities for youth.
Highlighting the local impact, the Lieutenant Governor said Jammu and Kashmir has utilised the scheme effectively.
According to official figures, more than 3,300 establishments in the Union Territory have registered under PM-VBRY, enabling over 22,500 youths to enter formal employment for the first time.
More than 31,000 employment positions have qualified for incentives under the programme, resulting in a direct positive impact on over 53,000 citizens.
Sinha also appreciated reforms undertaken by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), saying these align with the national vision of improving ease of doing business and ease of living.
He urged more industries and business establishments in Jammu and Kashmir to register under the scheme and participate in employment generation.
The programme was broadcast at multiple locations across Jammu and Kashmir, including Lok Bhavan Srinagar, Convention Centre Jammu, NIFT College at SIDCO Industrial Complex Ompora Budgam, and Bari Brahmana Industrial Association in Samba.
At Convention Centre Jammu, the event was attended by Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma and more than 600 participants, including around 400 beneficiaries, over 200 employers, representatives of industry associations, public representatives, senior government officials and EPFO staff.
During the event, employers distributed 20 appointment letters to newly employed workers at Convention Centre Jammu and six appointment letters at Bari Brahmana Industrial Association, Samba.
Labour Commissioner J&K Charandeep Singh, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I Sumeet Singh, beneficiaries, employers, industry representatives and senior officials also attended programmes organised across the Union Territory.
Employer representatives said the direct transfer of incentives has supported industries and encouraged workforce expansion, while employee beneficiaries highlighted the positive impact of direct financial assistance under the scheme.
