The Punjab Government has made a strong case for enactment of Right to Skill Development for every youth in the country on the lines of Right to Information, Right to Education and Right to Food Security.
The State Government is of the view that there is need to involve Panchayats and Civic bodies to strengthen the skill development mission. A three-tier decentralisation at the state, district and block levels can enable skill development initiatives to reach grass root levels.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is the convener of Sub Group of Chief Ministers on Skill Development. The Sub Group of Chief Ministers held its last and final meeting recently. The overwhelming view that has emerged after the final meeting is the need to strengthen the State skill Development Missions(SSDMs) across the country. The recommendations are likely to be sent to Centre shortly for enactment of Right to Skill Development for every youth across the country on the pattern of Right to Information.
Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal said that there is a genuine need to explore the possibility of a legislation on the right of youth to skill development. Badal said that we already have empowered our citizens with the Right to Information, Right to Education and Right to Food Security. Time has now come for the Right to Skill Development to every youth.
Alongside public sector, there is need to evolve a partnership with the private sector for skill development apart from opening up of National Skill Development Council and Sector Skill Council branches at the state or regional level for better co-ordination.
Badal said that there is also a need for improving access and outreach, to make vocational training mandatory from middle school and to introduce traditional skills to promote entrepreneurship. Keeping this in view and also the fact that with a significant presence of MSME sector, the State will be a crucial partner in the Make In India campaign, the State has set up an empowered Punjab Skill Development Mission with three tiers at State, District and Block level. The Punjab Skill Development Mission seeks to create constant opportunities for the youth of Punjab so they are able to acquire skills of choice and support them with means of creating sustainable livelihoods.
The mission aims at creation of infrastructure, capacity building and supporting various Skill Development Initiatives. It is working to develop quality skilled workforce and entrepreneurs relevant to meet the current and emerging needs of economy and to enhance the employability of individuals and promote self-employment and ability to adapt to changing technologies and market demands. To provide momentum to the Punjab Skill Development mission, Punjab has ear marked an amount of Rs 267.92 crore for skill development of 1,21,000 youth under various schemes.
The Government has announced six Multi Skill Development Centres (MSDCs) at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Bathinda started with a cost of Rs. 72 Crores. Construction work in five MSDCs has been already started. Five new skill development centres at Manakpur Sharif, Singhpura, Adampur, Maloud and Niari have also being established with a cost of 52 crores. Regional vocational training institute (RVTI) and Regional Directorate of Apprenticeship Training (RDAT) is being setup in Mohali with a cost of Rs. 35 crores.
Punjab state got SKOCH-ORDER-OF-MERIT award for online counseling for admission process and for India best governance project 2014 by SKOCH group.
Punjab Government has been taking all the relevant steps to ensure that the youth of Punjab is proficient to lead Punjab on the path to progress.
Note: News shared for public awareness as per the information gathered from e-newspapers.