Madhya Pradesh govt's emphasis on self-employment of SC-ST youth

A ministerial group will present report of recommendations after in-depth discussion on suggestions from various stakeholders

The Madhya Pradesh government is laying emphasis on creating opportunities for self-employment and entrepreneurship for the youth belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion Minister Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon told Business Standard: “This step of the government is in accordance with the thinking of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan that our youth should become job creators. If all the facilities remain with the privileged classes, what will the SC-ST youth do? How long will they remain stuck in traditional occupations?”

“We want them to come forward and scale new heights in entrepreneurship. Investors, venture capitalists, and hedge funds are asking for innovative ideas to promote and finance. Let those come from every class and caste,” he said.

Recently the state government constituted a ministerial group, including Dattigaon, for this. It will present a report of recommendations after in-depth discussion on the suggestions from various stakeholders.

Congress Spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta said it was an attempt to divert attention from the oppression of SCs and STs.

“When the Congress was in power in the state under the leadership of Digvijaya Singh, it had made a rule that 30 per cent of every government purchase should be from SC-ST entrepreneurs. The Shivraj government stopped it. Can he tell us how many SC-ST entrepreneurs have benefited from his schemes so far?” Gupta said.

Currently government departments and Scheduled Castes and Tribes Finance and Development Corporation are providing assistance to the youth under schemes like the CM Young Entrepreneur and CM Self-Employment Schemes.

In Madhya Pradesh, about 15 million, or 21 per cent of the state’s population, are ST.