New Delhi: Government has decided to give
its skill development initiative a "major push" during the
12th Plan Period and set up sector skill councils to prepare
standards required for training programmes.
The National Skill Development Council (NSDC) which met
here yesterday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh also tasked S Ramadorai, adviser to the Prime
Minister, to prepare a detailed proposal for mainstreaming the
skill agenda in the next plan in consultation with the
Planning Commission.
Ramadorai made a presentation about the overall skill
development vision for the 12th Plan Period at the meeting
which was attended by Ministers of Finance, Labour, HRD, Rural
Development and Social Justice & Empowerment.
Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission and other members
of the Council also participated in the meeting.
NSDC seeks to develop a strategy for skill development at
the national level along with variations at the state level
and formulate strategies to address the skill deficit.
The meeting decided to increase the skill development
targets so as to upscale the skill development initiative in a
"transformational" way, said a government statement.
Laying emphasis on skill development of SC/ST, minorities,
backward classes, people with disabilities and women, the
meeting decided that the Ministries would focus on this area.
It was agreed that NSDC will set up Sector Skill Councils,
which will urgently prepare the standards required for skill
training programmes in consultation with the industry.
The Prime Minister said, "I must say our efforts on skill
development side so far have been rather tentative. We cannot
let this state of affairs continue."
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 20, 2012, 21:14