Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday, 17 July unveiled the 'Lakhpati Yuva' employment initiative for Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar district, announcing that 2,592 educated youths will be placed in jobs through the expansion of a call centre project. The scheme's second phase will see a 2,000-seat call centre set up at an estimated cost of ₹6 crore, scaling total employment capacity from the current 592 to 2,592.

What the Initiative Promises

Addressing a public gathering in Ashoknagar, Scindia described 'Lakhpati Yuva' as a white-collar employment model designed specifically for graduates in smaller districts. College graduates placed under the scheme will earn monthly salaries ranging between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000, according to the minister.

'Lakhpati Yuva is an initiative to make our young people financially self-reliant. Just as the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme has empowered women, this programme will create similar opportunities for educated youth. College graduates will receive jobs with monthly salaries ranging between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000,' Scindia said at the gathering.

Phase One Already Underway

Scindia confirmed that 592 youths have already secured employment under the project's first phase, which is currently operational. The proposed second phase would add jobs for another 2,000 individuals, bringing the district's call centre workforce to its full target strength.

The initiative is modelled on the Centre's 'Lakhpati Didi' programme — a flagship scheme aimed at enabling rural women to earn over ₹1 lakh annually — and applies a similar self-reliance framework to educated young men and women in Ashoknagar.

Reducing Migration, Building Local Economy

A key stated objective of the scheme is to curb the outward migration of graduates from smaller towns. By providing stable, reasonably paid employment within the district itself, the initiative aims to retain talent locally while strengthening Ashoknagar's service-sector base.

Scindia framed the call centre project as more than a transactional employment drive. 'This is not merely a call centre project. It is a model for employment-led development. With the second phase, employment opportunities will increase to 2,592 youths, creating a new economic ecosystem in Ashoknagar,' he said.

Broader Development Outlay

The minister noted that the 'Lakhpati Yuva' scheme is part of a wider development push in Ashoknagar, with nearly ₹5,000 crore worth of infrastructure and economic projects reportedly under way in the district. Scindia expressed confidence that Ashoknagar would emerge as a service-sector and employment hub for the surrounding region.

Responding to critics, Scindia said only those with a 'negative mindset' were questioning the initiative, signalling that political opposition to the project is likely to intensify ahead of local elections. Whether the second phase secures funding approval and meets its placement targets on schedule will be the measure of the scheme's credibility.