Big boost to jobs creation, skill upgradation
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, has given its approval for a new skill development scheme covering the entire value chain of the textile sector, excluding spinning & weaving in the organized sector, titled “the Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS)” from 2017-18 to 2019-20 with an outlay of Rs. 1,300 crores.
The scheme will have National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF)-compliant training courses with funding norms as per the common norms notified by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
The objectives of the scheme are to provide demand-driven, placement-oriented skilling programme to incentivize the efforts of the industry in creating jobs in the organized textile and related sectors, to promote skilling and skill upgradation in the traditional sectors through respective sectoral divisions / organizations of the Ministry of Textiles and to provide livelihood to all sections of the society across the country.
The skilling programmes would be implemented through:
Textile industry / units in order to meet the in-house requirement of manpower; reputed training institutions relevant to the textile sector having placement tie-ups with textile industry / units; and institutions of the Ministry of Textiles / State Governments having placement tie-ups with the textile industry / units.
The scheme will broadly adopt the following strategy:
(a) Job role-wise skilling targets will be based on the skill gap identified for various levels, i.e., entry-level courses, upskilling / reskilling (supervisor, managerial training, advanced courses for adapting technology, etc.), recognition of prior learning (RPL), training of trainers and entrepreneurship development.
(b) segment-wise / job role-wise requirement of skill needs will be assessed from time to time in consultation with the industry.
(c) Web-based monitoring will be adopted for steering every aspect of implementation of the programme.
(d) Skilling requirement in the traditional sectors such as handlooms, handicrafts, jute, silk, etc., will be considered as special projects through respective sectoral divisions / organizations. Skill upgradation will be supported further for entrepreneurial development through provision of MUDRA loans.
(e) With a view to making outcomes measurable, successful trainees will be assessed and certified by an accredited assessment agency.
(f) Atleast 70% of the certified trainees are to be placed in the wage employment. Post placement tracking will be mandatory under the scheme.
(g) Acknowledging the high levels of employment of women in the sector post training, all partner institutions will be required to comply with the guidelines regarding the Internal Complaints Committee to be constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition &Redressal) Act, 2013, to become eligible for funding under the scheme.
The scheme will be implemented for the benefit of all sections of the society across the country, including rural, remote, LWE affected, North East and J&K by imparting skills in the identified job roles. Preference will be given to various social groups, SC, ST, differently-abled, minorities and other vulnerable groups.
Under the previous scheme of skill development implemented by the Ministry of Textiles in the 12th Plan period, more than 10 lakh people have been trained, of which more than 70% were women. Considering that the apparel industry, a major segment to be covered under the scheme, employs majorly women (about 70%), the trend is likely to be continued under the new scheme.
A total of 10 lakh people are expected to be skilled and certified in various segments of the textile sector through the scheme, out of which one lakh will be in the traditional sectors.
The Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) was introduced by the Ministry of Textiles as a pilot scheme in the last two years of the 11th Five-Year Plan with an outlay of Rs. 272 crores, including Rs. 229 crores as Government contribution with a physical target to train 2.56 lakh persons. The scheme was scaled up as main phase during the 12th Plan with an allocation of Rs. 1,900 crores to train 15 lakh persons.
ISDS addresses the critical gap of skilled manpower in the textile industry through industry-oriented training programmes. It is implemented through three components where major thrust is on the PPP mode where a forged partnership has been developed with the industry in establishing a demand-driven skilling ecosystem. Under the scheme, so far a total of 10.84 lakh people have been provided skilling, out of which 10.12 lakh have been assessed and 8.05 lakh have been placed.
The scheme has been largely aligned with the common norms of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.