Shortage of funds, manpower to hit skill dev schemes:Par panel

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is facing acute shortage of manpower and funds, which will adversely affect the implementation of some of its flagship schemes, a Parliamentary panel has observed.
In its report on the demands for grants related to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the committee headed by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said the Ministry has been allocated Rs 3,016.14 crore against the proposed amount of Rs 8,500 crore, implying that only 35.49 per cent of the proposed allocation has been approved by the Finance Ministry.
This major cut in allocation, it said, will affect some of flagship and ambitious schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, setting up of skill training centres in Kendriya/Navodaya Vidyalaya, among others.

The panel felt that though these schemes are meant to be progressive, well conceived and multi-dimensional, non-availability of sufficient funds will affect their implementation adversely.
"The Committee are also concerned to note that apart from fund constraints, the Ministry of Skille Development and Entrepreneurship is facing acute shortage of manpower particularly when viewed against the ambitious mandate conferred upon them," the panel said in its report.
In its reply, the government said the Ministry of Finance has been requested time and again for sanction of adequate posts for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Moreover, it said, the Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Secretariat and the Department of Personnel and Training are being requested regularly for posting of persons against the sanctioned posts as well as creation of additional posts.