Illiterate youth to be covered under SDA scheme in Himachal

The illiterate youth of the state would now be able to reap benefits of the ambitious Skill Development Allowance Scheme in selected trades for upgrading their skills, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said on Friday.

Shimla: The illiterate youth of the state would now be able to reap benefits of the ambitious Skill Development Allowance Scheme in selected trades for upgrading their skills, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said on Friday.

Presiding over a review meeting of SDA scheme here, he said that Cabinet had already given its nod to lower the age limit from 18 years to 16 years and essential qualification has also been relaxed from matriculation to middle for being eligible under SDAS.

He said that the department would take up necessary steps to develop appropriate informal training modules for small sector and empanel specialised training agencies on the line of SMES (Small and Medium Enterprises Schemes) of Union government.

Singh said this would not only widen the ambit of this ambitious scheme to cover more and more eligible youth but would also help in ensuring highly skilled man power in these traditional professions.

This would ensure better job opportunities to the youth not only in the state and country but also in the Middle East and Gulf countries, where there was great demand for skilled artisans in these trades.

He said that all these courses would be certified courses so that the trainees have some document to support their expertise and would also help in preserving and reviving the traditional craftsmanship.

The Chief Minister said that while engaging private partners for running these courses. Singh said it was necessary that gap between demand of skilled manpower for the industries and availability of manpower should be identified and courses be designed according to cater to the demand of the industry.

He said over 20,000 beneficiaries had been covered under the SDA scheme, so far and number of beneficiaries was expected to cross 30,000 by the end of the year.

Chief Minister asked the officers of the Labour and Employment Department to ensure that the maximum numbers of eligible youth are benefited under the scheme and directed the concerned officers to adopt a proactive approach for ensuring effective implementation of this scheme as there was no paucity of funds for this scheme.

Later presiding over a meeting of Wage Board for workers, Chief Minister said that four Labour Hostels to be constructed for them in the state to facilitate the workes and an Induction Cooker with utensils and LPG/Solar lamp would be provided to workers registered with Himachal Pradesh House and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.

He said that three labour hostels would be constructed in Una, Solan and Mandi districts while land would be identified for construct another hostel in Shimla and added that Rs 10 crore would be spent on construction of these hostels.

Singh said that of Rs 1 lakh would be provided to the legal heir in event of accidental death of the registered worker and now the dependants of the registered worker would also get Rs 50,000 in case of natural death of the worker.
He said that presently the Board was providing Rs 21,000 to the beneficiaries for marriage of there two children, which has been enhanced to Rs 25,000, but now the government has decided to extend the benefit for his/her own marriage as well.
Chief Minister said that since 93 per cent work force in the state was employed in unorganised sector, therefore, it was necessary that they were provided better boarding facilities.

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.