In a significant boost to formal employment and youth participation in the organised workforce, the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment will provide a one-month wage incentive of up to Rs 15,000 to eligible first-time employees under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY). The scheme will be showcased during a nationwide PM-VBRY event at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on June 19, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to disburse incentives worth around Rs 2,400 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries across the country. Simultaneously, regional programmes will be held nationwide, including at KDK College of Engineering, Nandanvan, and the Chandrapur District Central Co-operative Bank in Chandrapur.

 

The incentive disbursement is expected to support additional employment for more than 15 lakh persons, informed Shekhar Kumar, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I, EPFO, Nagpur, through a press conference held on Thursday. Part A of the scheme is aimed at first-time employees registered with the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and earning wages of up to Rs 1 lakh per month. Eligible beneficiaries will receive an incentive equivalent to one month's wages, subject to a maximum of Rs 15,000, payable in two instalments. The first instalment will be released after six months of continuous service, while the second will be paid after 12 months of service and completion of a financial literacy programme.

 

Benefits under the scheme will be available for jobs created between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2027. The PM-VBRY has an overall outlay of Rs 99,446 crore and aims to facilitate the creation of more than 3.5 crore jobs over two years. Part B provides incentives of up to Rs 3,000 per month to employers for generating additional employment, with enhanced support for the manufacturing sector.