New Delhi, August 14, 2015: Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy has said that it is estimated that out of 487 million workforce, 4.69% possess formal vocational education. In addition to the challenges of re-skilling, up-skilling and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for existing workforce, as per requirement, there is a need to provide skilling opportunities for approximately 104.6 million people who are expected to enter the workforce between 2015 to 2022. In cognizance of this fact, the Government has notified the National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on 15.07.2015, to provide a roadmap to meet the challenge of Skilling on a large Scale at Speed with high Standards to ensure Sustainable livelihoods for all citizens in the country.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha Shri Rudy further said, the Ministry has also launched the National Skill Development Mission to create convergence across sectors and States in terms of skill training activities. Further, to achieve the vision of ‘Skilled India’, the National Skill Development Mission would not only consolidate and coordinate skilling efforts, but also expedite decision making across sectors to achieve skilling at scale with speed and standards. The Mission document recommends an institutional structure at the State level which would be driven by the State Skill Development Mission and would replicate the institutional structure of the National Mission at State level.
In addition to the above, to scale up skill development with initiatives, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has been launched by the Government. The scheme has an outlay of Rs. 1,500 crore, with a target to cover 24 lakh persons within next one year, under skill training (including 10 lakh under Recognition of Prior Learning), the Minister added.
