Editorial Disclaimer: Smart Update24 verifies information through official websites, government notifications, and trusted sources before publication. Our team also conducts independent research and analysis to provide accurate information to readers; however, users are advised to verify important details from the respective official websites for final confirmation.
PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana:Â To realize the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’, the Government of India announced an ‘Employment-Linked Incentive Scheme’ in the 2024-25 Budget as part of the “Prime Minister’s Package for Employment and Skilling.” This scheme has been named the ‘Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana’.
The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) is an employment-linked incentive scheme introduced by the Government of India to encourage formal employment and expand social security coverage among workers.
Under the scheme, eligible first-time employees can receive a financial incentive of up to Rs.15,000, while employers can also receive incentives for creating and sustaining additional jobs. The scheme applies to eligible employment created between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2027.
Who can get the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana benefit?
The employee component of the scheme is mainly designed for first-time employees entering formal employment and becoming EPFO members.
According to the scheme guidelines, a first-timer is broadly an employee who did not have a contributing EPFO or exempted-trust membership before the scheme began and joins an eligible establishment during the scheme registration period.
The employee’s gross wages at the time of joining must be up to Rs.1 lakh per month for eligibility under Part A. The scheme guidelines also require the employee to complete the prescribed period of employment and EPFO contribution conditions.
Key eligibility conditions
The eligibility information highlighted by the Ministry of Labour and Employment includes these important conditions:
- The employee should be a first-time EPF-registered employee.
- The employee should join an eligible establishment during the scheme period.
- Gross wages at the time of joining should be up to Rs.1 lakh per month.
- The required EPFO contributions must be received for six continuous months.
- The employee needs to remain employed with the same establishment for the required period.
- A first-time employee must have a properly authenticated UAN, with Face Authentication Technology available through the UMANG App being part of the process.
The six-month condition is particularly important. Simply joining a company and getting an EPF account does not mean that the incentive becomes immediately payable.
How much money can employees receive?
Eligible first-time employees can receive an incentive equivalent to one month’s EPF wage, subject to a maximum of Rs.15,000.
The amount is not necessarily paid as a single Rs.15,000 payment. It is structured in two instalments. The first instalment, up to Rs.7,500, becomes payable after completion of six months of continuous employment. The second instalment is linked to completion of 12 months of employment and successful completion of the prescribed financial literacy programme.
Therefore, employees should not assume that every eligible worker will automatically receive the full Rs.15,000 immediately after joining a job.
Official Website: https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/details/pradhan-mantri-viksit-bharat-rozgar-yojana
PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana: What is the benefit for employers?
PM-VBRY is not only an employee benefit scheme. It also provides incentives to eligible employers for creating additional employment.
Depending on the EPF wage of the additional employee, the employer incentive can go up to Rs.3,000 per employee per month. The benefit is generally linked to additional employment being sustained for the required period.
For eligible establishments, the scheme therefore creates an incentive to hire new workers and retain them for a meaningful period instead of creating only short-term employment.
Why the six-month employment period matters
One of the most important points for employees is the requirement related to continued employment.
The scheme guidelines specify that the first-timer incentive is linked to the filing of ECRs and contributions for the required period. For the relevant employee benefit, completion of six months of employment is an important eligibility milestone.
This means employees should carefully check their EPFO contribution records and employment status rather than relying only on their joining letter or salary details.
Who is not covered as a first-time employee?
A person who already had a contributing EPFO membership before the commencement of the scheme may not qualify as a first-time employee under Part A.
The guidelines distinguish between a first-timer, a re-joinee, and an existing or old employee. Therefore, having a new job does not automatically make someone a first-time employee for PM-VBRY purposes.
This distinction is important because eligibility depends not simply on whether a person has recently changed jobs, but also on their previous EPFO contribution history.
PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) scheme period:
The PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana was introduced with a financial outlay of Rs.99,446 crore and aims to incentivise the creation of more than 3.5 crore jobs over two years.
The government has given particular attention to formal employment and the manufacturing sector, while the scheme covers employment generation across sectors subject to the prescribed conditions.
Also Read: WB Ayushman Bharat Card Benefits 2026 | From August 16, 0 3.4 Crore People to Get Health Coverage
What employees should check now?
If you have recently joined a job and believe you may qualify, check these details carefully:
- Whether you are genuinely a first-time EPFO contributor.
- Whether your gross salary at joining was within the Rs.1 lakh ceiling.
- Whether your UAN has been generated and properly authenticated.
- Whether EPFO contributions are being deposited correctly.
- Whether you have completed the required six months of employment.
- Whether your employer has correctly filed the required ECRs.
The PM-VBRY benefit is connected to EPFO records, so employees should make sure that their employment and contribution details are correctly reflected in the system.
The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana offers a useful incentive for young people entering formal employment for the first time. An eligible first-time employee can receive up to Rs.15,000, while employers can receive incentives for generating additional jobs.
However, the benefit is subject to specific conditions. First-time EPFO membership, salary eligibility, UAN authentication, and completion of the required employment and contribution period are all important.
Employees should therefore verify their EPFO records and eligibility before assuming that the ₹15,000 incentive is automatically payable.
