Maharashtra has topped the list of states with maximum number of beneficiaries under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY), followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

As on December 4, 2021, as many as 6,49,560 beneficiaries were recorded in Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu (5,35,615), Gujarat (4,44,741) and Karnataka (3,07,164), Minister of State for Labour & Employment Rameswar Teli said in written reply to Lok Sabha.

What is Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana?

• Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was announced to increase the employment generation in post-COVID-19 recovery phase and to incentivise creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during COVID-19 pandemic.

• This scheme, being implemented through the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), reduces the financial burden of the employers of various sectors/industries and encourages them to hire more workers.

• Under the scheme, the government will provide subsidies for two years for new employees engaged on or after October 1, 2020, and up to March 31, 2022.

• The government will pay both 12 per cent employees’ contribution and 12 per cent employers’ contribution, which means 24 per cent of basic wages,  towards EPF (employees provident fund), for new employees in establishments employing up to 1,000 employees for two years.

• However, the government will pay only employees’ share of EPF contribution — 12 per cent of wages — for new employees in establishments employing more than 1,000 employees for two years.

• An employee drawing a monthly wage of less than Rs 15,000, who was not working in any establishment registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) before October 1, 2020, and did not have a Universal Account Number or EPFO member account number prior to October 1, 2020, will be eligible for the benefit.

• The Cabinet had approved extension of scope of the scheme from June 30, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Approximately 71.8 lakh employees are likely to get benefited during the scheme period. 

• The beneficiaries registered upto March 31, 2022 will continue to receive the benefits for two years from the date of registration under the scheme.

Impact of the scheme

• As on December 4, 2021, employment opportunities have been created for 39.73 lakh new employees and benefits of Rs 2612.10 crore were credited upfront in their accounts.

• In Maharashtra, the beneficiaries have been provided a total of Rs 409.72 crore under the scheme to new employees of 17,524 establishments.

• In Tamil Nadu, the beneficiaries were provided Rs 300.46 crore under the scheme to new employees of 12,803 establishments till December 4, 2021.

• In Gujarat, funds to the tune of Rs 278.63 crore have been provided to the new employees of 12,379 establishments and in Karnataka, the beneficiaries were provided a total of Rs 221.63 crore under the scheme to the new employees of 8,024 establishments.

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