Govt to set up 500 centres to train drivers

The Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Ministry will set up 500 modern training centres in the next six months to address the shortage of trained drivers in the country.
"We are setting up 500 centres in the next six months across the country... (to address) the shortage of drivers of heavy vehicles, light commercial vehicles," Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said today.
The Minister said the centres will be state-of-the-art with simulators, training rooms and brand new trucks and equipment in the campuses.
"This challenge (of shortage of trained drivers) should have been addressed much earlier but we have taken it up and in the next six months you will see them across the country," Rudy, who is the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said while addressing the annual session of industry body CII.

He emphasised that the industry needs to supplement the government's efforts in skill development.
"Government can create the necessary platforms to promote skill development in India but the final training has to be done at the company level," Rudy said.

The Minister pointed out that industry needs to partner its efforts in almost every aspect of skill development - be it in terms of setting up ITIs or in terms of training manpower. There is a need to create the appropriate ecosystem for promoting skills development in the country and for this, the government needs Indian industry knowledge and expertise.

Rudy stated that the Apprenticeship Act had been amended and all the hurdles that existed in this regard had been removed. He encouraged industry to take advantage of the changed environment and take on more apprentices.
He also pointed out that the National Skills Qualifications Framework had been announced and he encouraged industry to take advantage of this and recruit a greater number of people skilled under this Framework.
The Minister also observed that not only is there a shortage of skilled manpower, there is also a shortage of trainers.