“The scheme of skill development in districts affected by left wing extremism (LWE) supports establishment of 48 ITIs in 48 districts affected by LWE. This includes 9 districts of Chhattisgarh, namely Dantewada, Bastar, Kanker, Surguja, Rajnandgaon, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Sukma and Kodagaon,” the minister said.

The Skill India mission, implemented by the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship (MSDE), plays a pivotal role in imparting skill training, re-skilling, and up-skilling services across the country, including rural areas.

Key programmes under the initiative include the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), and Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) through ITIs.

PMKVY, a demand-driven scheme, offers skill development training through short-term training and recognition of prior learning to youth across states and union territories.

JSS focuses on providing vocational skills to non-literates, neo-literates, and individuals with rudimentary education up to the 8th standard, as well as school drop-outs up to the 12th standard, primarily targeting the age group of 15-45 years. Special priority is given to women, SC, ST, OBC, and minorities.

NAPS, on the other hand, aims to promote apprenticeship training and increase apprentice engagement by providing financial support to industrial establishments conducting apprenticeship programs under the Apprentices Act, 1961. The program includes both Basic Training and On-the-Job Training / Practical Training at the workplace within the industry.

CTS endeavors to offer long-term training through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) spread across the nation, offering a diverse array of vocational/skill training courses. The primary objective is to produce a skilled workforce for various economic sectors and foster self-employment opportunities for the youth.

The National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) in Noida and the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) in Guwahati, both under MSDE, actively engage in promoting entrepreneurship through training, consultancy, and research.

Updated: 31 Jul 2023, 06:10 PM IST