Gujarat govt to hire 752 youth ambassadors ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls

The BJP-led state government has decided to put its money where the youth is, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

As per a Government Resolution (GR) dated December 18, the State will hire 752 individuals from the Gujarat State Youth Board (GSYB) to propagate government schemes among the masses, and relay feedback to the government on its various schemes.

GSYB comes under the State Sports, Youth and Cultural Affairs Department. The personnel will draw a salary for the task, which will cost the State Rs 4.15 crore before the polls, and Rs 12.50 crore every year thereafter.

Besides campaigning for government schemes, these ambassadors will have duties such gauging the people's opinion of the government on a weekly basis and sending a report, corralling a crowd to government functions, creating awareness on social issues, etc.

"The Chief Minister's Office has issued a one-line directive that all co-ordinators should approach citizens in their territory before the end of March. They will also work in alliance with the local BJP organisation," says a source.

As per the GR, a special mechanism will be developed to activate the idle GSYB in all 33 districts, which have been divided into eight zones.

Each zone is to have one in-charge, who gets a functioning office with staff. Each such office will cost Rs 54,500, while the in-charge will draw a salary of Rs 25,000 per month. A team of co-ordinators will report to the in-charge — each taluka and municipality will have two coordinators.

District-level co-ordinators will draw a salary of Rs 18,000, while taluka and municipality coordinators will get an allowance of Rs 12,000.