Two years on, states yet to respond on Skills Universities

More than two years have gone by since a working group submitted its report and a draft Bill on setting up Skills Universities across the country, but states are still to come up with comments, the government informed Parliament today.
The working group was constituted on March 31, 2015, to lay down the road map, which submitted its report on April 22, 2015, along with a draft Bill for establishment of National Skills Universities.
"The draft Bill was circulated to the central ministries or the departments concerned and state governments for seeking their comments. So far, no comments have been received from the states," Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

To another query, the minister said a few loan accounts that have shown signs of stress have been classified as non- performing assets (NPA) in the books of the National Skill Development Corporation.
"As of March 31, 2017, 19 loan accounts are classified as NPA with a total overdue amount of Rs 129.15 crore. As per the terms of the agreement, notice for default has been sent and legal notices and action have also been initiated against defaulting partners," Rudy said in the Rajya Sabha.