Targeting higher growth in job sector, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said a new scheme in skill development programme will be launched to benefit a million youth in a year.

“In the area of skill development we could not initially achieve as much progress as we wanted. But now the pace has picked up,” he said in his Independence Day address.

Highlighting the skill development programme, the Prime Minister said, “We have established the National Skill Development Authority a few months back. We will shortly launch a new scheme under which those who have successfully acquired new skills will be given a grant of about Rs 10,000.

“This scheme will benefit about 10 lakh young men and women in the next 12 months.”

Aiming to train about 25 lakh candidates during the 12th Plan Period, government has cleared a proposal for continuation of its skill development initiative with an outlay of Rs 2000 crore.

Acquiring necessary skills will not only help a candidate gain employment but also fetch Rs 10,000 as a monetary reward on passing the training programmes formulated by National Skill Development Corporation.

The Cabinet Committee on Skill Development cleared the proposal with certain changes under which incentive at the rate of Rs 3,000 would be paid to vocational training providers for ensuring placement of at least 70 per cent per batch at a minimum salary of Rs 6,000 per month.

Per hour per trainee expenditure allowed under the scheme has also been increased from Rs 15 to Rs 20 and Rs 25, depending upon the cost involved in running the training modules.

Tourism Ministry has also launched ‘Hunar se Rojgar Tak’ programme under Skill Development programme to provide training for food production (cook) and food and beverage services (waiter) and housekeeping. Later the ministry added trades like housekeeping and bakery, driving skills, heritage conservation and stone masonry under the programme.

India has a target of creating 500 million skilled workers by 2022.

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