Skill development in north-eastern states of India

The north-eastern states of India have their unique requirements in skill based training depending on the natural resources, industry and native trades. The governments of these states have embarked on skill development missions to meet the aspirations of youth through training, enhance employability and employment. Several training partners, academic institutions and vocational training centers are actively involved in a range of programs that enable livelihoods, increase productivity and income levels of people in the states. Most initiatives are a part of national schemes like PMKVY and DDU-GKY apart from regional schemes from the states. We invite the readers from north-eastern states to share more details about the impact of their skill development projects, and the challenges faced in achieving the outcomes.

Arunachal Pradesh

• Under the 12th Plan, there’s a proposal for State Skill Development Mission under the chairmanship of the chief minister, along with a steering committee representing the industry.
• The nodal department has set a target to train 50000 people by 2022.
• The project implementation unit will work with government ITI s as vocational training providers along with private agencies in training for different sectors.

Assam

• In Assam, Employment Generation Mission (EGM), an autonomous body under the government spearheads the skill development initiatives. Their major objective is to stimulate the economy of Assam through skill development through Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs).
• EGM has registered in its account several success stories enumerating the various workshops and seminars held in training the youth in diverse skill sectors like bell metal unit, printing press, horticulture and many other skills.
• The employment generation mission started with 7 lakhs and proliferated from I unit to 18 units in just one and a half years. Skill based training is also carried out through Assam State Livelihood Mission and NULM scheme.

Manipur

• The state of Manipur has created various committees and sectors to create a stimulus in enabling youth undergo skill education and training.
• The main agenda of these committees are identified to suggest ways and means of skill up gradation identify why the youth are not very much enthusiastic about enrolling in these programs.
• Also another important agenda that they have is to review the existing approach, strategies, priorities and ongoing policies and the loopholes in their implementation.
• The government of Manipur has also been striving to create an effective linkage between different organizations connected to skill development.

Meghalaya

• With the constitution of Meghalaya State Skill Development Society , the government has taken skill development in their state to another level by training 7700 youth in the state.
• Under the DDU-GKY and state level skill development plans they government aims to train rural youth and provide them with jobs with decent wages.
• Their primary agenda is to fill in the gaps in the skill sectors which were once the pride of Meghalaya, and the main source of employment generation in the state.

Mizoram

• The process of skill development can be greatly accelerated by training the employees to adequately equip them for enhanced efficiency and responsible behavior.
• The endeavor of the Government is to impart need-based training to employees so as to develop the right attitude, necessary skills, duty consciousness, competence and self-motivation to take on the challenges in their work .

Nagaland

• The government of Nagaland has started preparation to put in action the schemes under the NSDC, which is helping them conduct skills and have better ideas about the capabilities and the aspirations of the youth in the state.
• Most of the initiatives are also guided by PMKVY to the trainees to get jobs for themselves or be able to set up some enterprises thereby not only employing themselves but also providing others with opportunities to prosper.

Sikkim

• Sikkim has inaugurated livelihood schools, which train the youth in various livelihood options and sectors of employment like hospitality and tourism, driver and tour guide, computer software, medical transcription, organic farming, veterinary training, electrical trade, horticulture and teacher training.
• So far, Sikkim has been quite successful in initiating and running these livelihood schools. Crafts are essentially an important sector and skill for the people of Sikkim. The major goals and objectives of the Directorate of Handicrafts in Sikkim are to preserve and revive the languishing ethnic cultures of the state.

Tripura

• The Tripura government has decided to set up State Skill Development Mission to enable youth to experience employment. Click here for an interview on Skill Development in Tripura with Mr. M. Nagaraju, IAS, Principal Secretary Govt.of Tripura.
• A separate directorate committee is to be formed to run various programs of skill development in various sectors. Under these sectors, the youth of the state of Tripura will be trained based on skill, capabilities, merit and interests. However, the government is keen on enhancing employability and making the youth skill enabled.