BJP members staged a walkout on Friday from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly alleging that the Samajwadi Party government was fooling youths of the state in the name of giving them unemployment allowance.

BJP leader Hukum Singh claimed that only a select few were actually receiving the allowance while there was no provision to redress the grievances of the rest, and led the walkout during question hour.

Earlier, in its reply to a question raised by BJP member Satish Mahana, state cabinet minister Ambika Chaudhary said that there were more than 63 lakh unemployed youths in the state of whom 46.54 lakh had applied for jobs.

As to the unemployment allowance, Chowdhury said that an amount of Rs. 1,000 per month was being extended to over 10 lakh youths who fulfilled the criteria out of a total 12 lakh who had registered for the benefit.

But pointing out that, as per the norm fixed by the government, only those between 25 and 40 years of age were entitled for unemployment allowance, Mahana argued that jobless youth in the 18 to 25 age group should be considered for the dole as well.

To this the minister replied that norms to determine those eligible for unemployment allowance had already been fixed.