Centre approves Rs 6,655-cr World Bank aided skill training schemes

The government on Wednesday approved two new World Bank supported Rs 6,655 crore schemes to bring institutional reforms and improve quality as well as the market relevance of skill development training programmes.

The schemes -- Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (Sankalp) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (Strive) -- were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sankalp is centrally sponsored Rs 4,455 crore scheme, including Rs 3,300 crore loan support from World Bank whereas Strive is a Rs 2,200 crore - central sector scheme, with half of the scheme outlay as World Bank loan assistance.

Sankalp and Strive are outcomes focused schemes, marking a shift in government's implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results, said an official release.

"We will establish 66 plus India International Skilling Institutions at natural migration points in the country, through this investment," Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said while briefing media about the CCEA decision.

These institutions will focus on skill training as per global standards for overseas placements.

Over 30,000 aspirants would be trained in institutes and they will get certificates from International Awarding Bodies (lABs), the release said.

Upgrading 500 ITIs, as model ITIs across India and improving their industry connect, is also envisaged by ushering in reforms such as on-line examination, centralised admission, improving efficiency and transparency in the system.

The schemes will provide the required impetus to the National Skill Development Mission, 2015 and its various sub missions. They are aligned to flagship government programmes such as Make in India and Swachhta Abhiyan.

They aim at developing globally competitive workforce for domestic and overseas requirements, the release said.

"To this end, over 700 industry led institutions are being set up for providing job oriented skill training to lakhs of aspirants," it said.

National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 stresses on the need of quality assurance measures such as building a pool quality trainers and assessors.

Sankalp envisages setting up of trainers and assessors academies with self-sustainable models.

The release further said greater decentralisation in skill planning will be ensured by institutional strengthening at the state level and allowing them to come up with District and State level Skill Development Plans (DSDP/SSDP) and design skill training interventions to suit the local needs.