NEW DELHI, May 19: Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a programme worth Rs 235.3 crore to provide skill training to one lakh youth in Jammu and Kashmir over the next five years under a centrally sponsored scheme.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) which met here under Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh approved the project under Skill Empowerment and Employment Special Scheme, which will be 100 percent centrally assisted. The scheme is a placement linked, market driven skill training programme for J&K youth. The placements will be in the private sector both within and outside J&K, it said.
It will commence from June-July this year and cover youth from both Below Poverty Line and non-BPL categories. In the first year, 15,000 youth will receive training for salaried and self employment opportunities.
A recommendation in this regard had been made by a committee headed by former RBI Governor C Rangarajan. The panel was set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to suggest measures to enhance employment opportunities in the state and formulate a plan involving both private and public sectors.
Of the total expenditure, Rs 70.59 crore will be met from existing budget of the Rural Development Ministry under SGSY Scheme to cover 75 percent cost of training rural BPL youth. The remaining will be covered under special scheme for J&K to cover rural non-BPL, urban BPL and non-BPL youth.
"I think that (CCEA decision) will give a good boost to bring the youths into the mainstream because they have guaranteed 75 percent of placement in various industry and other offices throughout the country," Rural Development Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told reporters.
The Rangarajan panel had submitted its report to the Prime Minister in February, 2011. The report suggested a two pronged approach to employment generation - identify sectoral initiatives for growth and employment generation and increase employability of youth by improving skill sets. "The objective of the scheme is to provide options and opportunities to all youth in J&K, ranging from school dropouts to college educated, to select training programme for salaried or self-employment opportunities as per their interest," the statement said.
It is estimated that 70 per cent funds will be used to provide salaried employment linked training, and the remaining for self-employment linked training. Placement for youths will be provided all over the country. Under the scheme, different training strategies will be used for diverse groups of youth -- school dropouts, dropouts of XII class level, and those who have had college education.
(Courtesy : http://www.kashmirtimes.com)
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