Udupi: Vehicles sanctioned under the state government's "Swavalambi Sarathi" scheme have yet to reach the hands of the beneficiaries. As a result, eligible applicants have been visiting offices for months and have alleged significant delays in the distribution of vehicles.

The government introduced the Sarathi scheme with the aim of providing self-employment opportunities to unemployed youth from backward classes. Under this initiative, various vehicles including auto-rickshaws, taxis, and goods vehicles are provided through a combination of government subsidies and bank loans. However, the failure to complete the distribution process even after formal approval has sparked outrage among beneficiaries.

Documentation complete, but vehicles missing

Beneficiaries who have completed the application process, document verification, and bank approval are now left waiting for their vehicles. Some applicants stated that despite making advance payments, they have not received calls from vehicle dealers. They noted that technical reasons, including CIBIL score issues, are being cited for the delay.

What is the scheme?

The state government launched this scheme to make youth from backward communities self-reliant. Beneficiaries are selected from every assembly constituency. Unemployed youth belonging to Minority, Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities can receive subsidies ranging from 50% to 75% for purchasing four-wheeled vehicles or starting new businesses.

Under the Karnataka Swavalambi Sarathi scheme, a subsidy of 50% of the vehicle's value or a maximum of ₹3 lakh is provided for bank loans taken to purchase passenger auto-rickshaws, goods vehicles, and taxis. Vehicles are being distributed to beneficiaries through various corporations, including the D. Devaraj Urs Development Corporation (6 beneficiaries per constituency), as well as the Savita Samaja, Madivala Samaja, and Ambigara Chowdaiah Development Corporations.

Resolution likely soon

"The process of providing vehicles under the Swavalambi Sarathi scheme has been slowed down due to technical reasons. Claims were not issued according to CIBIL score criteria. Some of these issues are likely to be resolved very soon." — Manju D., Backward Classes Welfare Officer, Udupi & Dakshina Kannada.