Modi government plans major push to realise Skill India mission

NEW DELHI: Pushing ahead with its ambitious Skill India mission, the government is planning to launch on July 15 a number of initiatives aimed at developing skills and promoting entrepreneurship among youth.

These include a redesigned Model Skill Loan Scheme, Skill Card for persons certified under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and the new National Policy for Skill Development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally launch the programmes at a mega event on July 15 -- the World Youth Skills Day.

The government has set a target of skilling 40.2 crore people by 2022, and the initiatives are aimed at realising this objective.

"The initiatives to be launched include the recast Model Skill Loan Scheme; National Skill Mission; the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana; a Skill Card; etc." a senior official told PTI.

"The Model Skill Loan Scheme has been simplified to make the process for sanctioning loans easier. We are also going to link it with the credit guarantee fund so that banks' risk on giving small loans is reduced," said the official.

The Skill Card will be given to those certified under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) -- the government's flagship scheme to impart skills training to people.

"When you receive a skill certification it is in the form of a paper. You cannot carry that. So it will now be in the form of a card which you can carry in your pocket.

"There is a QR code on the card. You can read the QR code on the mobile device for the purpose of authentication, whether it is genuine or not," the official said.

Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister had cleared an institutional framework for the National Skills Mission, and also approved the first integrated national policy for developing skills and promoting entrepreneurship.

The mission will have a three-tiered, high powered decision making structure, with its governing council being chaired by the Prime Minister.

The new National Policy for Skill Development policy is the country's first integrated national scheme for developing skills and promoting entrepreneurship at a large scale and was recently approved by the Union Cabinet.

It acknowledges the need for an effective roadmap for promotion of entrepreneurship as the key to a successful skills strategy.

The previous National Policy on Skill Development was formulated by the Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2009 and provided for a review after five years to align the policy framework with emerging national and international trends.