Govt to look for Padma award winners among ITI principals

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is starting a 100-hour certificate course on the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The course, open for graduates of all streams, will explain in detail the new tax regime and will be conducted in Bhopal, Delhi and Bengaluru on a pilot basis from July 15.
The MSDE would also recommend the names of principals of ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes), who excel in the field of skill development, for Padma awards, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters here today.
"We welcome this change (GST) and the MSDE will contribute its best to explain the new regime. The MSDE has decided to launch a 100-hour certificate course on a pilot basis in Bhopal, Delhi and Bengaluru to understand the new tax regime, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters here today.

Rudy said graduates from all streams can apply for the certificate course, which will explain concepts like rate of taxation, registration under GST and calculation of tax liability.
"The names of principals of ITIs, who have done excellent work, would be recommended for the Padma Shri award," he said.

The state governments have been asked to identify potential winners, he said.
Rudy said India would bid for the 'World Skills Olympics' and "we need to prepare for this from today".
"If we make a bid for holding the competition today, we will get the opportunity to host the event only in 2023," he added.

The competition provides a platform to professionals from all over the world to showcase their skills. The participants demonstrate their technical abilities to execute specific tasks.
The minister said the MSDE is going to introduce new norms for ITIs within a fortnight.
Rudy said he is going to meet chief ministers to discuss the Skill Development Mission, developed to create convergence across sectors and states in terms of skill training activities
"We have told the states, including Madhya Pradesh, to study the skill gap down to the village level to list the unemployed and scope of employments," he added.
Replying to a question, Rudy said his ministry has been establish not to create jobs but for enhancing employability skills through training.

Earlier, Rudy, along with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, laid the foundation stone for Rs 645-crore Global Skills Park, to be developed by the Singapore-based Institute of Technical Education (ITE).
Former cricketer and chairman of EduStrokes K Srikkanth, Asian Development Bank's principal social sector specialist Sunhwa Lee and CEO of ITE Poh Geok Huat Bruce were present on the occasion.
Speaking at the event, Srikkanth said talent is available in abundance in smaller towns and the same has been proved in the field of cricket. A small city like Ranchi has given star cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni to the country.

"The Skill Development Mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi would provide more 'Dhonis' to the country because there is a lot of talent in the smaller towns," the former explosive opener said.