Over one lakh avail skill allowance in Himachal

More than one lakh unemployed youths in Himachal Pradesh have availed the state-run Skill Development Allowance since May 2013, a statement said on Sunday.

A total of 110,601 youths have benefited from the scheme with an allocation of Rs.74.01 crore) to the beneficiaries, a government statement said.

Under the scheme, an allowance of Rs.1,000 per month is given to individual aged between 16 and 36, with a family income less than Rs.200,000 per annum, for doing skill training for a maximum duration of up to two years.

However, people with 50 percent permanently physically disability is entitled to get a monthly grant of Rs.1,500.

The aim of the Skill Development Allowance Scheme with an outlay of Rs.500 crore is to provide technical and skilled manpower to industrial units, institutions and establishments and to upgrade skill level of the youth and increase their employability prospects.

The beneficiary should have a minimum qualification of Class VIII, but for the applicants desirous of pursuing training in masonry, carpentry, blacksmith or plumbing, the minimum qualification condition has been done away with to benefit maximum youths.

A Skill Development Corporation has been established by the government to implement the skill development programmes.

A skill development institute is coming up at Haroli in Una district with an estimated cost of Rs.18 crore. The government is contemplating to open such institutions in all the 12 districts in a phased manner.

Training in these institutions would be provided to the unemployed youth as per the skill gap requirements of industrial units resulting in 100 percent placements of the trainees, said the statement.

To provide better opportunities of employment to the youth, the government is signing pacts with the industrial associations to meet out the skilled manpower requirement.

The state is also focusing on career counselling of the youth. For this, it is converting 10 district-level employment exchanges into model career centres with the allocation of Rs.31.70 crore by the Asian Development Bank.