Public sector banks in Punjab are gearing up to set up Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) under the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
Three centres, one each by Punjab National Bank (district Mohali), Punjab and Sind Bank (district Ludhiana)and Oriental Bank of Commerce (district Ferozpur), have already been opened.
The state has 20 districts and the lead bank in each district would open the RSETI to train those in the age group of 18-35 from below poverty line (BPL) and other weaker sections.
The state has over 1.2 million BPL families and a skill development set provided free-of-cost, with complementary boarding and lodging could go a long way if implemented.
Till now, only Oriental Bank of Commerce has the requisite 1 acre land in Ferozpur district provided out of the 5 acre land earmarked for the farmers’ training institute at village Ratolbaj.
Others are operating from make-shift premises till the allotment of land by the district administration.
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The state government has to provide land for each centre and the Centre would provide Rs 1 crore for the superstructure of each centre.
Punjab National Bank is the lead bank in seven districts, UCO Bank is the lead bank in three districts, Oriental Bank of Commerce is the lead bank in one district, Punjab and Sind Bank is lead bank in three districts and State Bank of Patiala is the lead bank in seven districts.
A senior State Bank of Patiala official said that they would launch RSETI at Patiala and Mukatsar by the end of this month.
Although the self help movement is tepid in Punjab, most of the banks plan to target the members of SHGs to extend the benefit of the training of self employment.
The training period may extend between three days to eight weeks depending upon the contents of the course.
Nabard is a partner in this skill upgradation project as the 50% of the recurring expenses would be reimbursed by the NABARD.
With the division in the land holdings and increasing cost of cultivation due to falling water table and increasing input costs this endeavour is expected to provide alternative employment opportunities to the inhabitants in rural pockets of Punjab.