Question : Minimum Monthly Allowances

(a) whether the Government is contemplating scheme to promote minimum monthly allowance to unemployed and poor, if so, the details and the objectives thereof;

(b) the challenges faced by the Government in the implementation of the scheme along with the steps taken by the Government to overcome the difficulties in the implementation of the scheme;

(c) whether there is any improvement in the related indices after the implementation of the scheme and if so, the progress so far in attaining the objectives; and

(d) whether the Government is undertaking any other policies for promoting minimum income to the poor and unemployed and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a) The Government of India has no proposal to provide minimum monthly allowance to unemployed or poor. However, some of the State Governments are providing allowances for various categories of persons.

(b) to (c) Do not arise.

(d) Utmost priority is being given by the Government to social infrastructure like education, health and social protection to engineer an inclusive and sustainable growth in India which inter alia promotes income of the poor and unemployed. Programmes /schemes such as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural and Urban Livelihoods Mission, Skill India, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Make in India and MUDRA, are being implemented to create direct and indirect employment opportunities to ensure incomes to the poor and unemployed. In order to improve the employability of youth, the Government is imparting short term skill training through Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and long term training through Industrial Training Institutes. Model Skill Centres are being set up in every district of the country while ensuring coverage of all the Parliamentary constituencies under PMKVY.
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