Over 1.10L youth covered under skill development scheme: HP

More than one lakh youths in Himachal Pradesh have benefited from the skill development programme launched by the state government with funds of over Rs 74 crore having been disbursed as part of the initiative.
The programme has so far benefited 1,10,601 persons with funds to the tune of Rs 74,01,23,354 having been disbursed under it by way of payment of allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to youths and Rs 1,500 per month to disabled persons, an official spokesperson said.
The Rs 500-crore skill development scheme was launched in May 2013. Himachali youth in the age group of 16 to 36 years and with an annual family income of below Rs 2 lakh are eligible to be covered under the scheme.

The minimum qualification for joining the scheme had been relaxed from matriculation to middle school for those seeking to pursue training in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, etc., the spokesperson said, adding that the state government has issued guidelines to ensure quality training.
District-level committees have been constituted under the chairmanship of deputy commissioners to empanel non-IT private training institutions.
At present certificate/diploma training courses are being run by about 909 training institutions. Of these, 350 are government institutions, 355 government-recognised private institutions while 204 training institutions are empanelled by district-level committees.

The scheme covers courses under ITIs, National Skill Qualification Framework, National Council for Vocational Training, State Council for Vocational Training, etc.

In addition, training is also imparted by institutions empanelled by district-level committees in fashion designing, cutting and tailoring, embroidery, knitting, soft toy making, mobile repair, forest-based micro entrepreneurship, stone sculpture, handloom, etc.
Also, apart from diploma/certificate training, B.Sc nursing/any graduate degree course in nursing from government or government-affiliated training institutions has also been covered under the scheme from April, 2015.
A Skill Development Corporation has been set up while a Skill Development Institute is coming up at Haroli in Una district at an estimated cost of Rs 18 crore.
The state government is mulling such institutions in all the districts to ensure 100 per cent employability of skilled manpower.

To ensure greater job opportunities for the youth, the government is also tying up with industry bodies.