Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday transferred ₹33.22 crore directly into the bank accounts of 3,848 beneficiaries under the Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme (Mukhyamantri Swarozgar Yojana) through an online programme held at the Chief Minister’s residence.
Addressing the event, the Chief Minister said the state government is committed to transforming Uttarakhand’s youth from job seekers into job creators. He emphasized that the scheme has emerged as one of the most impactful initiatives of the state, playing a crucial role in preventing migration, promoting reverse migration, and generating employment at the local level.
Support for Youth, Artisans, and Returning Migrants
CM Dhami said that young entrepreneurs, artisans, craftsmen, educated unemployed youth, and migrants who returned to the state during the COVID-19 period are among the key beneficiaries of the scheme. Under the initiative, loans are being provided to permanent residents of Uttarakhand for setting up ventures in the manufacturing, service, and trade sectors through nationalised, cooperative, and regional rural banks.
The permissible project cost is up to ₹25 lakh for manufacturing units and ₹10 lakh for service and trade-based enterprises, making the scheme accessible to a wide range of small and medium entrepreneurs.
Thousands Benefited, Employment Generation Accelerates
Under the scheme, beneficiaries receive margin money subsidy ranging from 15 to 25 percent of the project cost. While the initial target was to cover around 32,000 beneficiaries, more than 35,000 people have already benefited from the scheme. So far, loans worth over ₹1,389 crore have been disbursed, leading to the creation of approximately 64,966 new jobs.
Calling the scheme a “game changer” for small traders and self-reliance in the state, the Chief Minister said these figures prove that the programme is delivering tangible results on the ground and not just remaining on paper.
MSY 2.0 Launched With Enhanced Subsidy
Given the success of the initiative, the state government has launched Chief Minister Self-Employment Scheme 2.0 (MSY 2.0) from 2025 by integrating the existing MSY and Nano schemes. Under the revised framework, the subsidy limit has been increased from 15 percent to 30 percent.
Additionally, an extra 5 percent subsidy has been introduced under geographical, social, and product-based booster provisions, making the scheme economically and socially more empowering.
Transparent and Technology-Driven Governance
The Chief Minister highlighted that subsidies are being transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through online mode, reflecting the government’s commitment to transparency, technology-driven governance, and corruption-free administration. He described the scheme as a strong foundation for building an “Atmanirbhar Uttarakhand”, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Beneficiaries Share Success Stories
During the programme, CM Dhami interacted with several beneficiaries. Kamal Singh Partholi from Lohaghat, Champawat, shared that he availed a ₹10 lakh loan to establish a smart library, which currently serves 130 students and is being expanded into an e-library.
Pradeep Agrawal from Udham Singh Nagar said he took a ₹10 lakh loan to start a vehicle service business, having earlier worked as a bicycle repairer. Jaspal from Uttarkashi set up a fitness club with the same loan amount and is now expanding his venture.
From Pauri Garhwal, Ayan Mansoori established a quilt and mattress manufacturing unit with a ₹10 lakh loan, generating employment for several people, with an estimated annual turnover of ₹3 crore. Champa Devi from Bageshwar said her income has improved after starting a mobile sales and service business with a ₹7 lakh loan.
Officials Present
Senior officials present at the event included Industries Secretary Vinay Shankar Pandey, Director General (Industries) and MD, SIDCUL Dr Saurabh Gaharwar, Deputy Secretary Shiv Shankar Mishra, and several senior officers from the Industries Department.
Read also: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Honours 1971 War Heroes, Announces Welfare Measures for Soldiers
