With a view to provide gainful employment to the urban unemployed and underemployed through encouraging the setting up of self-employment ventures or provision of wage employment and skill development, Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), in implementation from 01.12.1997, has been comprehensively revamped by the Union Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation ministry. The new scheme has commenced from 2009-2010. SJSRY will have five major components, namely-

• Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP)
• Urban Women Self-help Programme (UWSP)
• Skill Training for Employment Promotion amongst Urban Poor (STEP-UP)
• Urban Wage Employment Programme (UWEP)
• Urban Community Development Network (UCDN)

The following major changes have been effected in the scheme:

1. For the beneficiary under the Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP) component of the Scheme, the education limit criteria of “not educated beyond 9th standard” has been removed and now no minimum or maximum educational qualification level has been prescribed for the purpose of eligibility of assistance.
2. For the self-employment (individual category), the project cost ceiling has been enhanced to Rs. 2.00 Lakhs from the existing Rs. 50000/- and the subsidy has also been enhanced to 25% of the project cost (subject to a maximum of Rs. 50000/-), from the existing 15% of the project cost (subject to a maximum of Rs. 7500/-).
3. For the group enterprises set up by urban poor women, the subsidy has been made as 35% of the project cost or Rs. 300,000/- or Rs. 60,000/- per member of the Group, whichever is less. The minimum number required to form a women group has been reduced from 10 to 5. The revolving fund entitlement per member has also been enhanced from the existing Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 2000/-.
4. The Skill Training of the urban poor component has been restructured and quality skill training will be provided to the urban poor linking it with certification, imparted preferably on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with the involvement of reputed institutions like IITs, NITs, Poly-techniques, ITIs, other reputed agencies etc. The average expenditure ceiling per trainee has been enhanced from the Rs. 2600/- to Rs. 10000/-.

Central Allocation under SJSRY has been enhanced to Rs 515 Crores in 2009-10.

The Director General of UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura was conferred the Degree of Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) (D.Litt.) by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Kapil Sibal here today. This is the first degree conferred by NUEPA to a distinguished personality.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Kapil Sibal stated that education occupies a key place in the development agenda. Economic development, does not necessarily lead to human development, he added. He underlined that the Government of India promotes all levels of education: While free and compulsory education for children in the age group of 6-14 has been made a Fundamental Right, the Government is undertaking initiatives in secondary, higher and technical education also.

The Citation read out by Shri Kapil Sibail while conferring the Degree included the following:

“Ten years ago, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, you assumed the leadership of UNESCO – the laboratory of ideas engaged in empowering people through education and building peace in the minds of men and women. You carried out major institutional reform while advancing a range of programmes from universal basic education to freshwater management to the preservation of living arts and cultures. Your intellectual acumen undergirded your leadership at UNESCO……. You saw expenditure in education as the most productive investment that a nation can make. Your intellectual leadership, untiring efforts and professional commitment steered the Education for All Movement to new heights.”

Accepting the Degree, UNESCO D.G. Dr. Matsuura said that UNESCO is very proud to accompany India in its goals of Education for All (EFA). He added that NUEPA will soon host the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Peace and Sustainable Development The overall focus of the activities of the proposed Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace & Sustainable Development activities will be on fostering a culture of peace through education, promoting sustainable economic and social development and respect for human rights.