Govt to focus on skill development initiative

The government has decided to give its skill development initiative a "major push" during the 12th Plan Period and set up sector skill councils to prepare standards required for training programmes.

The National Skill Development Council (NSDC) which met here yesterday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also tasked S Ramadorai, adviser to the Prime Minister, to prepare a detailed proposal for mainstreaming the skill agenda in the next plan in consultation with the Planning Commission.

Ramadorai made a presentation about the overall skill development vision for the 12th Plan Period at the meeting which was attended by Ministers of Finance, Labour, HRD, Rural Development and Social Justice & Empowerment.

Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission and other members of the Council also participated in the meeting.

NSDC seeks to develop a strategy for skill development at the national level along with variations at the state level and formulate strategies to address the skill deficit.

The meeting decided to increase the skill development targets so as to upscale the skill development initiative in a "transformational" way, said a government statement.

Laying emphasis on skill development of SC/ST, minorities, backward classes, people with disabilities and women, the meeting decided that the Ministries would focus on this area.

It was agreed that NSDC will set up Sector Skill Councils, which will urgently prepare the standards required for skill training programmes in consultation with the industry.

The Prime Minister said, "I must say our efforts on skill development side so far have been rather tentative. We cannot let this state of affairs continue."