The Ministry of Labour & Employment organised a regional programme at the Auditorium Hall, Administrative Block, NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, yesterday as part of the nationwide event under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PM-VBRY).
The Shillong programme was held simultaneously with the national event at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, where Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi disbursed incentives worth ₹2,400 crore to more than 15 lakh beneficiaries across the country under PM-VBRY. The Prime Minister also addressed the gathering and highlighted the importance of employment generation, formalisation of the workforce, and creating opportunities for the youth as part of the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The regional programme in Shillong was attended by Meghalaya Minister for Labour and Employment, Shri Methodius Dkhar. A total of 408 participants took part in the event, including 350 beneficiaries, 21 employers, representatives of industry associations, public representatives, senior State Government officials, and officers and staff of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
As part of the programme, employers distributed 15 employment letters to newly employed workers, facilitating their entry into the organised workforce and enabling them to avail the benefits of formal employment and social security coverage.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Methodius Dkhar called for extending Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) coverage to all eligible establishments across Meghalaya to ensure that workers receive the benefits available under social security schemes. He emphasised the importance of bringing more workers under the ambit of formal employment and social security and appreciated the efforts of the EPFO Regional Office, Shillong, in organising the awareness programme for employers, employees and other stakeholders.
The programme also served as a platform to create awareness about the objectives and benefits of PM-VBRY among employers, employees and job seekers. Participants were apprised of the provisions of the scheme and the incentives available to both employees and employers.
PM-VBRY is a flagship Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme of the Government of India aimed at promoting formal employment, supporting first-time entrants into the organised workforce, and incentivising employers to create additional jobs. Under the scheme, eligible first-time employees receive one month’s wage, up to ₹15,000, while employers are provided incentives for a period of two years for generating additional employment. The manufacturing sector is eligible for support for an additional two years, thereby encouraging sustained job creation in labour-intensive industries.