Orissa invites NSDC for skill mapping

The Orissa government has invited the Union finance ministry co-promoted National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to map the skills of the state’s workforce, to identify the sectors where there could be a likely shortage of employable manpower in future. This is the first time that any state has requested the NSDC to undertake such a study.

“The mapping should result in an identification of high growth sectors in both the formal and informal segments, the current unemployment pattern, and the requirement of skilled manpower now and in future in identified sectors, and recommendations from the NSDC on the steps that need to be taken to address the human resources challenge,” B K Patnaik, Orissa chief secretary & chief development commissioner, said in a letter to NSDC chief executive officer and managing director Dilip Chenoy.

Patnaik also asked for a special study in the tribal and mining-dominated areas to identify sectors holding potential for employment generation.

The duties of NSDC in the state may include conducting interviews of company executives, prospective investors and state government officials engaged in departments engaged with development for the purpose of the study.

Launched by Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in October 2009, the NSDC has been mandated to involve the private sector in skilling 500 million people by 2022 in 21 focus sectors identified by the government.