Appreciating the placement linked skill development training initiative of Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has advised all other States to adopt the Odisha model.
“The States are advised to follow the example of ORMAS in hiring Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS) or community resources people (CRP) to mobilize unemployed rural youths for skill development and their placement,” said a recent communication from MoRD to the States. Though Odisha Government has recommended for grant of Rs400 per GRS as incentive for mobilizing unemployed youths for skill training, the Centre approved Rs600 per candidate.
Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), the skilling and placement initiative of the MoRD, ORMAS has engaged GRS whose primary responsibility is to mobilize unemployed youths and counsel them for joining skill development training programme in trades of their choice. Besides, the GRS coordinates with skill development coordinators at block level and the project implementing agencies (PIAs) for skill training of the registered youths. The GRS is paid an additional incentive of Rs400 in phases from identification till placement of the candidate. The MoRD has approved another Rs200 for tracking the candidates after one year of placement.
“As most of the resource persons belong to the same community and village, it becomes easier for them to persuade the unemployed youth to take up skill training and keep track of them even after placement,” said ORMAS Executive Director BN Das.
About 86,000 unemployed youths were registered under DDU-GKY in 2015-16. While 36,000 of them were provided skill training in different trades, about 30,000 have been placed in different organisations. Nearly 13,000 trained youths have been working outside the State, he said.
Das said the scheme focuses on catering to the occupational aspirations of rural youths and enhancing their skills for wage employment. The trained youths have got employment in garment industry, hospitality and service sectors while some of them are self employed as electrician, plumber, mason or carpenter.
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