Skill India Expands to Tier-III Cities with New Training Centers

Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up- skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres/colleges/ institutes etc. under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country. Opening of Skill Development Centres is demand based.    The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready & industry ready skills.  There are 10,006 number of Training Centres under PMKVY, 290 centres under JSS, 15,034 ITIs under CTS and 46,764 Establishments under NAPS.

The Government has taken various initiatives to promote employment and/or micro entrepreneurship across the Country.  The detailed initiatives taken by the Government in this regard are as under:

1. The Government of India has announced Aatmanirbhar Bharat package to provide stimulus to business and to mitigate the adverse impact of Covid 19.  This package comprises of various long terms schemes/ programmes/ policies for making the country self-reliant and to create employment opportunities.
2.  The Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was launched with effect from 1st October, 2020 to incentivize employers for creation of new employment and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic. The terminal date for registration of beneficiaries was 31.03.2022.
3. The Government is implementing Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbharNidhi (PM SVANidhi Scheme) since June 01, 2020 to facilitate collateral free working capital loan to street vendors to restart their businesses, which were adversely impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic.
4. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched by the Government for facilitating self-employment. Under PMMY, collateral free loans up to Rs. 10 lakh, are extended to micro/small business enterprises and to individuals to enable them to setup or expand their business activities.
5. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme is being implemented by the Government with an outlay of Rs. 1.97 lakh crore, for a period of 5 years starting from 2021-22 which have potential for creating 60 lakh new jobs.
6. PM GatiShakti is a transformative approach for economic growth and sustainable development. The approach is driven by seven engines, namely, Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports, Mass Transport, Waterways and Logistics Infrastructure. This approach is powered by Clean Energy and Sabka Prayas leading to huge job and entrepreneurial opportunities for all.
7. The Government of India is encouraging various projects involving substantial investment and public expenditure on schemes like Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Deen Dayal AntodayaYojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) etc. for employment generation.
8. Besides these initiatives, various flagship programmes of the Government such as Make in India, Start-up India, Stand-up India, Digital India, Housing for All etc. are also oriented towards generating employment opportunities.

Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) is a mobile-first digital platform designed to synergize India’s skill development, education, employment, and entrepreneurship landscape. Its primary objective is to provide a comprehensive and accessible platform for skill enhancement, offering industry-relevant skill courses, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support. SIDH is a digital expansion of skilling opportunities and integrated platform that have digital job exchange between stakeholder.

The platform is designed to encompass all training programs implemented by various Ministries / Departments of the Central Government and State Governments. By integrating government training programs, the platform endeavors to create a unified and centralized hub for skill development initiatives.

SIDH is at the intersection of two of the most important components of the Government- Skill India & Digital India. Built on Mobile-First approach, SIDH caters diverse needs of a citizen for skill development such as discovery of courses, schemes, apprenticeships, and job opportunities based on preferences and aspirations, Learning Management System for digital skilling, Portable Verified Credentials and Multi-lingual to ensure inclusivity, etc. It aims to serve India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the skill development, education, employment and entrepreneurship landscape of India. The platform aligns with the vision articulated in the G20 outcome document for building DPIs.

SIDH supports Industry 4.0 by offering futuristic courses on Big Data, Machine Learning and Analytics, etc. provided by its digital learning partners. Focusing on digital technology and skills, SIDH ultimately paves the way for a more skilled and dynamic workforce needed for Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 courses such as Python with Advanced AI, Artificial Intelligence Foundation, Generative AI, Build Classical Machine Learning Models with Supervised Learning, Data Analytics Essentials, Analyze Data in a Relational Data Warehouse, Cybersecurity Essentials, Introduction to Data Science, Kisan Drone Operator, EV Service Technician, Bio-waste Management, along with other certification courses, are being offered on the platform.