The Centre government on Friday launched a new skill development and job placement scheme ROSHINI, for rural youth especially women in 24 districts severely affected by left wing extremism spread across nine states in the country.

Under the scheme 50,000 youth including 25,000 women will be trained and provided jobs within three years. Launching the scheme in New Delhi this morning, Rural Development Minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh said the scheme will proactively include the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups on priority basis.

The skill development and employment scheme ROSHINI, will initially cover six districts each in naxal affected states of Jharkhand and Odisha, five in Chhattisgarh, two in Bihar, and one each in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

The beneficiaries of the scheme will be between 18 to 35 years. Mr. Ramesh said, 100 crore rupees would be spent during the three year period and funds from the budget of the National Rural livelihood mission would be utilized.

Mr. Ramesh said 8300 youth were given employment under the scheme known as Himayat in Jammu and Kashmir started two years ago.