Nirmala Sitharaman Launches Mobile App For PM Internship Scheme

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Mar 18 (KNN) Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday launched a dedicated mobile application for the Prime Minister Internship Scheme, urging more companies to participate in the programme.

She also called upon Members of Parliament (MPs) to encourage youth to join the initiative.

Speaking at the launch event in the national capital, Sitharaman, who heads the Finance and Corporate Affairs ministries, emphasised that the programme is designed to help youth from Tier II and III cities acquire industry-relevant skills and understand job availability in various sectors.

Addressing concerns about industry participation, the minister assured that the scheme does not impose any compulsion or interference on companies.

She highlighted its national significance, urging Indian industries to actively engage in the programme.“You need to open the window for people to have a peek,” she said, emphasising the importance of exposure and skill development.

Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra also spoke at the event, stating that the scheme provides practical experience to youth and contributes towards the vision of "Viksit Bharat."

The first phase of the pilot project facilitated over 1,27,000 internship opportunities, while the second round, launched in January, has already seen 327 companies posting over 118,000 internship opportunities. The deadline for applications in the second phase is March 31.

Sitharaman announced that the scheme's website and app are being made more accessible by incorporating multiple languages. Interns will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 for 12 months and a one-time grant of Rs 6,000.

The scheme, which was launched as a pilot project on October 3, 2024, aims to provide 1,25,000 internship opportunities for young individuals during the financial year 2024-25.

Launched in the 2024-25 Union Budget, the scheme aims to provide internships to one crore youth in India's top 500 companies over five years.

These companies have been selected based on their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure over the past three years. Corporate Affairs Secretary Deepti Gaur Mukherjee expressed optimism that more firms beyond the top 500 would participate.

The ministry has also introduced an assessment framework to monitor the implementation of the pilot project.

(KNN Bureau)

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