Minister for Information Technology, Technical Education and Youth Services & Sports Moulvi Imran Raza Ansari today called for special skill mapping of Jammu and Kashmir by National Skill Development Agency (NSDA).The Minister put forth the demand during a Ministerial conference on Skill India in New Delhi organised by the Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The theme of the conference was “Skilling with quality.” Skill India is an initiative of the Government of India, launched with an aim to train over 40 crore youth in the country in different skills by 2022. The scheme includes National Skill Development Mission, National Policy for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) scheme and the Skill Loan scheme.While talking about Skill development training programmes in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Ansari said a draft project report of 18,900 unemployed youth under State Skill Development Mission has been identified for job-oriented Modular Courses. “The establishment of the State Skill Development Mission shall also go a long way in augmenting the efforts of the State Government”, he added.“As our State is facing huge problem due to unemployment, I think Technical Education Department has a big role to play in eradicating the problem,” the Minister said.
During the conference, Mr Ansari said that for the first time in the history of Technical Education Department, the concept of placement cell was established in its various institutes.Earlier we used to see placement cell in IIMs, IITs and universities where students were easily trained in market oriented courses and were provided with jobs through placement cell. But now students mostly school dropouts will no longer be dependent. They too can excel and give their best in various market-oriented courses offered in ITIs and polytechnic institutions across Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.The Minister also informed the conference about the special industry initiative for Jammu and Kashmir - UDAAN. The scheme launched post-2010 has partnered with b69 corporates as of 31st March 2016 with a commitment of training 74,313 candidates. Out of them, around 11,647 candidates have completed training of which 7,214 candidates have been offered with jobs.Mr Ansari further maintained that the Regional Vocational Training Institute (RVTI) for women is being set up for the first time in the State by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GOI. The institute, he said, is aimed at empowerment of women in the State. A draft project report for conducting Skill Development Training is being considered, the Minister said.
With regard to “Make in India” program, the Minister said that production centre for manufacturing Mixed Jam and Pickle etc has been established at ITI Kulgam and ITI Pulwama.While presenting the achievements of Technical Education and its institutions, Mr Ansari said that 78 new job-oriented Trade units have been introduced in various ITIs on self financing basis to enhance the seating capacity. The initiative, he said, has led to an increase of 1800 seats in ITI Sector including 1056 in Kashmir Division. 60 candidates sponsored by Army have been trained in modular courses under the scheme Operation Sadbahwana in district Poonch, the Minister informed.Moreover, Mr Ansari said, 240 candidates are under training in various ITIs under various centrally sponsored schemes at ITI Rajouri, Poonch, Surankote and Mendhar and a proposal for conducting skill development training in ITIs for tribal youth has been submitted to Secretary to Government Tribal Affairs Department for training of 800 candidates in the first instance.The Minister also apprised the Skill India participants that in spite of unrest in Valley, 6th semester of three-year Diploma courses was conducted smoothly in various polytechnics of the state.