Rs 150 cr allocated for grant of unemployment allowance: HP CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, today said Rs 150 crore has been allocated for the grant of unemployment allowance to educated youths in the state.
The guidelines for payment of the allowance would be framed soon and the exact number of beneficiaries would also be ascertained, an official said.
However, around 1.55 lakh youths receiving allowance of Rs 1,000 per month under the state's skill development scheme would not be eligible for the unemployment allowance, the official said.
The Congress had promised unemployment allowance to youths in its manifesto for 2012 Assembly polls.
The issue was first raised by state transport minister G.S. Bali, who had said that the promise of unemployment allowance, must be fulfilled as it is a question of credibility of the poll manifesto.

Later, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu, Rajya Sabha member Viplov Thakur and several other leaders also supported it.
On March 8, during a reply to the discussion on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address, the Chief Minister had said that the demand would be considered when the financial condition permits.