Thiruvananthapuram, January 23, 2026: The Kerala government has taken a significant step to support young job seekers by strengthening and rolling out its flagship Chief Minister’s “Connect to Work” scheme. This initiative, aimed at easing the transition of educated but unemployed youth into meaningful employment, has now begun disbursing monthly financial assistance to beneficiaries selected under the first phase of the programme.
Under the scheme, eligible applicants aged 18–30 years from families with an annual income up to ₹5 lakh are provided ₹1,000 per month for up to 12 months. The financial support is intended to help young people undergo skill training, vocational courses or prepare for competitive examinations—including public service and defence recruitment tests—without financial hardship during this crucial phase of their career development. Payments are being made directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
As of now, 9,861 of the 10,000 beneficiaries selected in the initial list have already received their first monthly stipend, with the remaining transfers delayed due to minor technical issues that are being resolved by authorities. The state received over 36,500 applications after opening the online portal, demonstrating strong demand among Kerala’s youth for employment support and skills advancement.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had launched the scheme earlier this month as part of the government’s broader Knowledge Economy Mission, which seeks to create sustained employment opportunities and transform Kerala into a more dynamic, knowledge-based economy with an emphasis on skill enhancement and job readiness. The programme is expected to support up to 500,000 youths in the coming years as it expands beyond the initial phase and continues to disburse financial aid to eligible applicants.
News as reported
