Skill ministry to train 150K women under PMKVY in first 100 days

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is looking to train around 150,000 women under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), with a third of them acquiring new-age skills, in the first 100 days of the new government, sources in the know told Business Standard.

Along with skilling, MSDE will concentrate on promoting apprenticeship in the country, with around half a million new apprentices being engaged. The ministry will also be focussing on launching demand-based financing solutions for promoting adoption of skill courses.

“The new government will be working with renewed interest and increased focus on skilling programmes. There is also going to be renewed focus on entrepreneurship and increased industry partnership in the setting up of new labs at Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) that are already in place,” said a source.

Besides, the government will also be focusing on operationalizing two new Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) — IIS Mumbai and IIS Ahmedabad —and expanding Skill India International Centres and Jan Shikshan Sansthan in the first 100 days.

Earlier on Thursday, new Union Skill Minister Jayant Chaudhary engaged with senior officials and stakeholders to assess the progress and impact of the schemes and initiatives of MSDE. The minister appreciated the ministry's efforts in creating building blocks for the skill ecosystem as he called for increased collaboration with industry partners to enhance the scope and effectiveness of apprenticeship and vocational training programmes.

“It is necessary to have a unified effort to ensure successful implementation and expansion of skill development initiatives across the nation. We must focus on close collaboration and convergence with other ministries and states to bring scale and speed to the skill ecosystem,” Chaudhary added.

On the anvil

> Skilling 150,000 women candidates, and 50,000 in new-age skills under PMKVY

> 500,000 new apprentices to be engaged

> Launch of demand-based financing solution for promoting increased adoption of skill courses

> Renewed focus on entrepreneurship

> Increased industry partnerships and setting up labs at Industrial Training Institutes

> Operationalising Indian Institute of Skills Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and Skill India International Centres

> Expansion of Jan Shikshan Sansthan

Source: Govt