Huge skill gap exists in construction sector: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

NEW DELHI: Government today said there is a significant skills gap in the country's construction sector and steps are being taken to tackle the issue.

"The skill gap studies indicate significant skill gap in Construction sector," Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

He said that a sector skill council (SSC) has been constituted specifically for Construction sector to promote skilling in this sector but due to the unorganised nature of this sector, the training and certification momentum is picking up slowly.

"At present there are 17 training partners conducting training in building and construction sector...Till February 28, 2015, 1,27,685 people have been trained in building and construction sector by NSDC's training partners," Rudy said.

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) had got a skill gap study conducted in 2009 to assess the skill gap in various sectors including Tourism, Travel and Hospitality across the country.

"As per the NSDC's study report, around 6.96 million were employed in 2013 in Tourism, Travel and Hospitality sector which is expected to increase 9.68 million by 2017 and 13.44 million by 2022." Rudy said.