Speed, skill & convergence mantras for developing skill ecosystem: Jayant Chaudhary

Jaipur, July 27 (IANS) Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary on Saturday said that speed, skill, saturation, and convergence are the government's mantras for the skill ecosystem.

“It’s heartening to see that 82 per cent of our beneficiaries are women and those from marginalised communities who previously lacked opportunities and formal education. The dynamism of this scheme reflects the spirit of our nation – the dream of a Viksit Bharat,” said Jayant Chaudhary who is also the Minister of State for Education.

He said that Rajasthan has 1,620 ITIs out of which 165 are government ITIs, adding that there are also two National Skill Training Institutes in Rajasthan, one of which is specifically for women.

“While reviewing the results of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in Rajasthan, I learned about the surge in demand for skills in the electronics and automotive sectors, particularly for EV technicians among our youth,” Jayant Chaudhary said while addressing the Zonal Conference for Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) which was organised at Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur.

The minister said that initiatives like Lakhpati Didi, PM Jan Dhan, and PM Vishwakarma are reaching women and other segments of society, uplifting them with modern technology and financial support.

He said that in the recent G20 task force, India's digital strength was commended, highlighting the country’s digital public infrastructure.

The conference focused on the transformative power of JSS in fostering self-employment and wage employment among socio-economically backward groups through skill development training.

Rajasthan Minister of State of Sports & Youth Affairs, Skill & Employment & Entrepreneurship Department Krishan Kr Bishnoi said that the program has substantially contributed to the welfare of the state.

“The success of MSME and SHG clusters has significantly benefited our state, with women emerging as the primary beneficiaries. We are optimistic that Rajasthan will continue progressing and thriving through such efforts, becoming a hub for new businesses and industries, creating ample job prospects,” Bishnoi said.

Currently, 290 JSSs operate across 26 States and 7 Union Territories, including 29 in Madhya Pradesh, 8 in Gujarat, and 8 in Rajasthan.

So far, the total beneficiary count for the trained candidates stands at 26,38,028 and from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan we have close to 4.60 lakh beneficiaries who have received training under the JSS scheme.

These beneficiaries primarily consist of educationally disadvantaged and socio-economically backward groups in rural and urban slums. Women make up the majority of trained beneficiaries, totalling 21.63 lakh (82 per cent).