Cabinet approves Rs.1300 crores for capacity building in Textile Sector through demand-driven training and placement oriented skill development

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for a new skill development scheme covering the entire value chain of the textile sector excluding Spinning & Weaving in organized Sector, titled “Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS)” from 2017-18 to 2019-20 with an outlay of Rs. 1300 crore. The scheme will have National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) compliant training courses with funding norms as per the Common Norms notified by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

The Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS) is aimed at providing demand-driven, placement oriented skilling programmes. The objective is to:

•  incentivize the efforts of the industry in creating jobs in the organized textile and related sectors;
• promote skilling and skill up-gradation in the traditional sectors through respective Sectoral Divisions/organizations of Ministry of Textiles
• provide livelihood to all sections of the society across the country.

The skilling programmes would be implemented through:

Textile Industry /Units in order to meet the in-house requirement of manpower: Reputed training institutions relevant to textile sector having placement tie-ups with textile industry/ units; and Institutions of Ministry of Textiles /State Governments having placement tie-ups with textile industry/units.

The scheme will broadly adopt the following strategy:

(a) Job role wise skilling targets will be based on skill gap identified for various levels i.e. Entry level courses, Up-skilling/ Re-skilling (supervisor, managerial training, advanced courses for adapting technology etc.), Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Training of Trainers, Entrepreneurship Development.

(b) Segment Wise/ Job role wise requirement of skill needs will be assessed from time to time in consultation with the industry.

(c) Web-based monitoring will be adopted for steering every aspect of implementation of the programme.

(d) Skilling requirement in the traditional sectors such as handlooms, handicrafts, jute, silk etc. will be considered as special projects through respective Sectoral Divisions/organizations. Skill upgradation will be supported further for entrepreneurial development through provision of MUDRA loans.

(e) With a view to make outcomes measurable, successful trainees will be assessed and certified by an accredited Assessment Agency.

(f) Atleast 70% of the certified trainees are to be placed in the wage employment. Post Placement tracking will be mandatory under the scheme.

(g) Acknowledging the high levels of employment of women in the sector post training, all partner institutions will be required to comply with the guidelines regarding Internal Complaints Committee to be constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013 to become eligible for funding under the scheme.

The scheme will be implemented for the benefit of all sections of the society across the country including rural, remote, LWE affected, North East, J&K by imparting skills in the identified job roles. Preference will be given to various social groups, SC, ST, differently abled, minorities and other vulnerable groups. Under previous scheme of skill development implemented by the Ministry of Textiles in the XII Plan period, more than 10 lakh people have been trained of which more than 70% were women. Considering that the apparel industry, a major segment to be covered under the scheme, employs majorly women (about 70%), the trend is likely to be continued in the new scheme.

10 lakh people are expected to be skilled and certified in various segments of Textile Sector through the scheme, out of which 1 lakh will be in traditional sectors.

The Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) was introduced by Ministry of Textiles as a pilot scheme in the last two years of XI Five Year Plan with an outlay of Rs. 272 crore, including Rs. 229 crore as Government contribution with a physical target to train 2.56 lakh persons.

(This is based on a press release from the Ministry of Textiles, GOI)