A proposal to provide job-linked skill training to one lakh youth in Jammu and Kashmir over the next five years under a centrally-sponsored scheme was on Thursday given approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
The training will be provided under Skill Empowerment and Employment Special Scheme for J&K, which will be 100 per cent centrally assisted and cost the exchequer Rs 235.3 crore, an official statement said.
The scheme is a placement-linked, market driven skill training programme for Jammu and Kashmir youth. The placements will be in the private sector both within and outside Jammu and Kashmir, it said.
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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 per cent cost of training rural BPL youth.
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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 per cent 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.