Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has sanctioned Rs 500 crore to make urban unemployed youths self-reliant under a scheme called Karma Sathi Prakalpa. The project is to be implemented by the state Cooperation department. As projected, as many as 3 lakh youths will be brought under the scheme over the next three years. Each year approximately 1 lakh youths will be provided with a soft loan to become self-reliant. Using the same unemployed youths can take up income-generating projects. Each of them will be getting a loan up to Rs 2 lakh. The loans will be provided through Cooperative banks and it will help the youths to take up small manufacturing and trading activities. Arup Roy, the state Cooperation minister, said: "Rs 500 crore has been sanctioned for the project in the next financial year." He further said that the officials of his department have started taking necessary steps to ensure proper execution of the same. "The project will help in ensuring the means of livelihood for the unemployed youths in the urban part of the state. There are many scopes at present in the state to become self-reliant and Karma Sathi Prakalpa will help them to take a step ahead in taking up projects to stand on their own feet," Roy said. It may be mentioned that the Mamata Banerjee government has taken up several initiatives in the past nine years to ensure generation of job opportunities. At the same time, such initiatives to provide financial assistance are helping youths to take up their own projects. The state Cooperation department has already provided necessary supports to self-help groups that helped in improving the economy in both rural and urban parts of the state. Now the unemployed youths in the urban areas will be benefitted with the project.

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