NIPUN scheme by MoHUA to train over 1 lakh construction workers in India

To train over one lakh construction workers, through fresh skilling and upskilling programmes and to provide them with work opportunities in foreign countries, an innovative project for skill training of construction workers called ‘NIPUN’ (National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman) workers has been launched. ‘NIPUN’ is an initiative MoHUA under its flagship scheme of the DAY-NULM. Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India launched the project.

Mr. Hardeep S Puri also interacted with some construction workers and presented them with safety helmets.

Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India

“The transformational impact of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) has definitively reduced the vulnerability of urban poor households by providing upskilling and employment opportunities to urban dwellers, especially the youth. The spirit of entrepreneurship has been encouraged by giving urban workers access to self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities. This initiative will enable Nirman workers to be more proficient and skilled while making them adopt future trends in the construction industry by increasing their capabilities and diversifying their skill sets.”

DAY-NULM

It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, being implemented since 2014-15, with the aim to reduce poverty and vulnerability of urban poor households in the country by providing them with self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities.

NSDC – Implementation Partner for the project NIPUN

The project implementation is divided into three parts –

1. Training through RPL at construction sites
2. Training through Fresh Skilling by Plumbing and Infrastructure SSC and
3. International Placement through industries/ builders/ contractors.

Onsite skill training will be provided to about 80,000 construction workers through industry associations under the RPL certification, while about 14,000 candidates will receive fresh skilling through Plumbing and Infrastructure Sector Skill Council (SSC) in trades having promising placement potentials. Under NIPUN, it is envisaged that NSDC will place approximately 12,000 people in foreign countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC countries.

Project NIPUN – Kaushal Bima

Project NIPUN will also facilitate and support convergence with related line ministries. NSDC will be responsible for the overall execution of training, monitoring and candidate tracking. It will provide trainees with ‘Kaushal Bima’, a three-year accidental insurance with coverage of INR two lakhs, digital skills such as cashless transactions and the BHIM app, orientation about entrepreneurship, and EPF and BOCW facilities. A project committee with members from both NSDC and MoHUA will be formed under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary-cum-Mission Director, DAY-NULM to oversee and monitor the project.

Also Read: NSN weekly newsbytes on skills, education and training- 21062022 https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/nsn-weekly-newsbytes-on-skills-education-and-training-21062022/

The construction industry is geared to become the largest employer by 2022. To fulfil this mission, NAREDCO and CREDAI have joined Project NIPUN as industry partners and will identify training job roles of aspirational value in the construction sector in collaboration with the SSC.