Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to set up International Skill Centre in Assam

GUWAHATI: Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship ( MSDE) Rajiv Pratap Rudy informed Assam chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal that his Ministry is interested to set up an International Skill Centre in the State and asked the State Government to allot a suitable land in and around Guwahati for the purpose.

Sonowal said this would be a big fillip considering Government of India’s Act East Policy that will open up the frontiers with neighbouring countries of South East Asia. Sonowal met Rudy at his office chamber in New Delhi and discussed a gamut of issues concerning skill development and entrepreneurship training in the State.

Union Minister Rudy said the Centre would extend 100 per cent support to Government of Assam’s Skill Development Mission initiatives.The Minister said the MSDE under Prime Minister’s Kaushal Vikas Yojana would extend Central support in opening up of small centres for skill development. NSDC team will assist the State in developing the project, he added. In this context, the Minister suggested for signing of MoU in which there can be provision for imparting other skills in these centres.

Senior officials of the State Government led by Additional Chief Secretary, KV Eapen said the State is ready to hand over 10 buildings to the Skill Development Ministry for converting them into state-of-the-art skilling centres.

On drivers’ training centres in the State, the senior officials apprised the Minister that a 10-acre land parcel on lease will be provided for these centres and land of Assam State Transport Corporation for skill centres all over the State. A MoU will be signed between the State and the Centre for jointly operating these centres by NSDC and MSDE.

The Minister urged the Chief Minister to take up initiatives in right earnest for setting up of multi-skill development centres in each of the block across the State. Reiterating his Government’s commitment, Sonowal said decision has already been taken to set up multi-skill development centres at the first Governing Council meeting of Assam Skill Development Mission in February last.

The Chief Minister also pointed out the Government’s vital decision to integrate the Employment Generation Mission with the Assam Skill Development Mission for skilling 1.5 lakh youth in different vocations during the current financial year.

Rudy expressed his Ministry’s desire to set up training centres in tribal areas where the educated girls will be provided job linked training, including taking care of the aged and elderly and asked the State Government to submit a proposal. Sonowal assured Rudy that the State Government would prepare a comprehensive roadmap and submit the same at the earliest.