Why Is Yuva Sathi Scheme Under Big Fire?

Feb 17, 2026 - By Ashutosh Roy Current AffairsPolitics

Key Highlights

1. Yuva Sathi Scheme (যুব সাথী প্রকল্প) launched on 15 February 2026, with camps set up in every Assembly constituency.
2. Massive public response led to long queues, crowd mismanagement, and logistical gaps.
3. Police were deployed in areas like Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, and Durgapur to control large gatherings.
4. The scheme was reportedly advanced ahead of schedule, raising political timing concerns before elections.
5. ₹1,500 monthly cash transfer attracted wide participation, including highly educated youth like MTech graduates, engineers, and medical students.
6. Critics argue the scheme offers short-term relief but no skill or asset creation, limiting long-term economic impact.
7. Lakshmir Bhandar covers 2.11 crore beneficiaries, along with other schemes like Yuva Sathi, Yuvasree Prakalpa, Shramashree, and Swasthya Sathi.
8. West Bengal’s debt has crossed ₹8.15 lakh crore, raising sustainability concerns about expanding welfare spending.
9. Top GST-contributing states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh combine welfare with strong industrial growth.
10. Industrial investment in West Bengal remains limited, despite regular investor summits and announcements.
11. Shramashree registration remains low (75,000) compared to the officially estimated 22–24 lakh migrant workers.
12. Official unemployment rate of 3.6% contrasts with high migration trends, creating debate over data accuracy.

Camps for Yuva Sathi Scheme

The camp for Yuva Sathi Scheme (যুব সাথী প্রকল্প) started on 15 February 2026. The government set up one camp in every Assembly constituency. The program will continue until 26 February 2026.

However, several major issues appeared from the very first day.

Issue	Reasons
Huge Crowd and Long Queues:	Massive crowds gathered at almost every camp. As a result, people had to stand in long queues for hours. Many applicants struggled due to poor crowd management.
Logistical Problems and Poor Preparation:	serious logistical issues surfaced. The administration failed to prepare properly. Therefore, many camps faced shortages of staff, slow processing, and confusion.
Political Control at Camps:	Reports suggest that leaders and MLAs of the Trinamool Congress took control of several camps. This raised questions about political influence in what should have been an administrative process.
Highly Educated Youth in Line:	Surprisingly, even highly educated candidates stood in line. MTech Degree Holders, MA First Class holders, engineers, and medical students waited for their turn. This clearly shows the growing unemployment crisis.
Parents Also Waiting:	In addition, many parents stood in line along with their sons and daughters. They came to support them and complete formalities.

It is really surprising to notice that even the Engineering or Medical Students are also standing in the queue for the Yuva Sathi Scheme.

Why could Yuva Sathi Scheme receive such huge response?

Overall, the Yuva Sathi Scheme attracted huge public response. However, the crowd, poor planning, and political involvement created serious concerns. The people standing in queues made some drastic comments, which has made the gravity of the unemployment problems of West Bengal very vivid.

This reaction is completely natural.

After all, who will object if ₹1,500 is credited directly to a bank account every month without doing any work?

However, the project was originally announced to start from 15 August. The government advanced it due to election pressure. Therefore, the lack of preparation was expected.

As a result, the administration had to deploy police in several areas. In Chanchal in Malda, Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur, and different parts of Durgapur, huge and unruly crowds gathered. In some places, the police had to step in to control the situation in the camps for the Yuva Sathi Scheme. Thousands of applicants assembled at these camps.

What About Yuvasree Prakalpa?

West Bengal Government under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee has launched a Yuvasree Prakalpa. The Scheme is almost similar to the Yuva Sathi. The key difference is that it was mandatory to get registered in Employment Exchange. The Application process remains completely online. As per the latest news, there are around 2 lakhs beneficiaries under the scheme.

Now the question remains

1. Will these 2 schemes run simultaneously?
2. What will happen to the enrolled candidates of Yuvasree?
3. Will these 2 schemes merge?
4. Why was it necessary to launch another almost parallel scheme?

Elections and Cash Transfer Politics

However, elections change everything. Before elections, direct cash transfer schemes often influence voters. If we look at other states, we can clearly see that such “cash dole politics” works.

Even BJP-ruled states, which once criticized such schemes as “rewari culture,” are not far behind in implementing similar benefits.

There is a clear warning that such manganous Social Welfare Scheme expenses will elevate the revenue deficit in various states of India.

No Long-Term Asset Creation

• Most importantly, this allowance does not create any asset or skill. The benefit continues only as long as the money flows.
• The state does not gain productive output. At the same time, the youth do not develop skills or talent that could become their long-term strength.

In other words, this scheme provides short-term relief. However, it does not build a sustainable future for the state or for the young generation.

How to meet expenses of Yuva Sathi Scheme?

If we look at the top GST contributor states in India, some names clearly stand out. States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh consistently rank at the top.

These states generate strong revenue because of industrial growth, business activity, and large-scale investment.

On the other hand, when we examine social sector spending, a different picture emerges. According to Crisil Ratings, 11 major states, including Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, are giving high priority to social welfare expenditure. West Bengal has just added Yuva Sathi Scheme.

This means one simple thing. States that earn more can afford larger welfare spending. In other words, generous social schemes suit states that have strong income and industrial output.

Industrial Growth and Social Schemes Can Go Together

For example,

• Tamil Nadu has been running multiple social welfare schemes for many years. However, at the same time, it has built one of Asia’s largest automobile manufacturing hubs. Major global car companies operate from there.
• Similarly, Karnataka runs social projects. Yet today, it has emerged as India’s biggest IT hub, with Bengaluru leading the technology sector.

Therefore, welfare and industrial growth can exist together—if there is a strong economic base.

The Investment Gap

However, in our state, industries rarely arrive. Instead, we often hear promises. For example, Sourav Ganguly once announced investment plans from Spain. Every year, investor summits are organized. We also see well-known industrialists attending these events.

But the real question remains: how many of them actually invest and build factories here?

In short, without strong industrial growth, long-term welfare becomes financially difficult.

Sustainable development requires both revenue generation and skill-building opportunities.

Otherwise, cash transfer schemes may provide temporary relief, but they cannot create lasting economic strength.

Will Yuva Sathi Scheme become another Shramashree Scheme?

The government has already announced the Shramashree Scheme. However, the response has been limited so far.  As of October 2025, only 75,000 people have registered under the scheme.

Migrant Workers vs Registration Numbers

Official data says that 22 to 24 lakh migrant workers come from West Bengal. However, people who closely follow ground realities know a different story.

Every day, many workers from North Bengal, Murshidabad, and South 24 Parganas leave for other states in search of work. The migration flow is so dynamic that no one can give an exact number. Therefore, the official statistics may not reflect the real situation.

Unemployment Rate Debate

At the same time, reports claim that the state’s unemployment rate is only 3.6%.

However, when thousands of people migrate daily for jobs, such a low unemployment figure raises questions.  In reality, statistics can sometimes create a different picture from what people experience on the ground.

In short, the gap between official numbers and real-life migration trends continues to fuel debate.

Is Yuva Sathi Scheme just for vote?

The number of beneficiaries under Lakshmir Bhandar has reached 2.11 crore. In addition, schemes like Yuva Sathi and Shramashree are already in place. The government also runs Swasthya Sathi for health coverage.

As a result, from birth to death, almost every one of the state’s nearly 7 crore voters is connected to some welfare scheme.

However, a serious question remains.

Yuva Sathi Scheme: Welfare Expansion vs Industrial Growth

Despite the expansion of welfare schemes, industrial development remains weak. Large-scale industry has not grown significantly. At the same time, permanent government jobs have almost stopped.

Meanwhile, the state’s total debt has reportedly crossed ₹8.15 lakh crore, and it continues to rise. This financial pressure raises long-term sustainability concerns.

Fiscal Health Index (FHI) revealed by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting shows a very gloomy figure of the state’s Economy.

 

Economic Management Questions

There is no question about the academic expertise of Amit Mitra, the former Finance Minister. However, observers are asking whether the growing debt burden has received adequate policy attention.

Has there been a clear roadmap to attract investment? Why is large-scale private investment still limited in the state?

Every year, investment summits are organized. Promises are made. However, the conversion of announcements into real industrial projects remains a key concern.

Political Future and Development Debate

Time will decide whether Mamata Banerjee returns to power for a fourth consecutive term.

However, many critics argue that the state’s economic growth has slowed down. They believe development has moved in a backward direction.

In the end, welfare schemes may provide immediate support. Yet long-term progress depends on sustainable industrial growth, employment generation, and sound fiscal management. Who knows it better than the West Bengal State Government?

Key Takeaways

• Can West Bengal carry the burden of Yuva Sathi Scheme, another huge expense?
• Will Dole Politics push the lack of real development work in the back seat in Bengal Election 2026?
• How can even students become beneficiaries of Yuva Sathi? Are they unemployed in true sense?
• Will BJP come up with some counter narrative schemes of other dole politics?
• Will it be possible to keep aside the political colour for selection of Yuva Sathi Scheme beneficiaries?

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