Skill India Kaushal Mela inaugurated at Haridwar to guide youth on skilling opportunities

Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has virtually inaugurated ‘Skill India Kaushal Mela’ at Haridwar on the sidelines of Kumbh 2021 with an aim to increase awareness regarding various initiatives under Skill India in Uttarakhand. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) along with its training and implementing partners will be holding the skill pavilion from 12th to 30th April.

As one of the biggest religious gathering in India, Kumbh Mela attracts pilgrims and followers from every corner of India and makes for a good opportunity to share information and mobilize a large number of people under the flagship programs/initiatives including Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS) and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) among others. 

Mr Tirath Singh Rawat, Chief Minister for Uttarakhand, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Education Minister, Mr Madan Kaushik, MLA, Haridwar and State President, Uttarakhand, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Mr Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (IC) Power, New and Renewable Energy and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and other senior officials from the ministry graced the occasion with their august presence.

The Skill India Pavillion is spread across 5,000 sq meters of land with multiple attractions on display from counselling rooms, experiential stalls and selfie booths to help and guide people on how skill training can accelerate their livelihood opportunities.  Maintaining strict adherence with social distancing norms given the Covid-19 pandemic, the pavilion will showcase exhibitions from its training partners and 36 Sector Skill Councils to highlight the various skill related entities in their respective domains. Further, the counselling rooms will advise people about the various opportunities for skill training, employment and entrepreneurship through Skill India training programs. 

Mr Tirath Singh Rawat, Chief Minister for Uttarakhand, said, “The Skill India Mission is a great initiative under the guidance of our Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi to strengthen the base of our economy. The Skill India Kaushal Mela at Haridwar will help in spreading more awareness about the initiative and the opportunities it offers to visit pilgrims. The addition of new jobs related to adventure tourism such as river rafting and trekking will empower the youth of Uttarakhand with the right skill that will contribute to the economic growth of both the region and nation. The government is driving and supporting growth at the grassroots level through various initiatives under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and Vocal for Local.”

Commenting on the inauguration, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Education Minister said,” Under the visionary leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, India’s next phase of growth will be driven by ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Youth has a central role to play in the overall development of the nation and empowering them with relevant skills is the need of the hour. Through its various programs under Skill India, MSDE has been instrumental in skilling people and contributing to a better livelihood. The Skill India Pavillion at Haridwar is a novel initiative to sensitize youth about the power of skills and how this can shape their personal and professional growth in future.”

Inaugurating the Skill India Kaushal Mela, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, “Uttarakhand has the culture of displaying great commitment and passion for hard work. Ruby Bhatnagar and Mahima Gandhi are two such young candidates from the state who represented India at previous WorldSkills competitions and have made the entire country proud by showcasing their talent on a global platform. Through ‘Skill India Pavilion’ at Haridwar, we aim to create wider awareness regarding the significance of skill empowerment among youth and drive them to contribute to nation-building. I would like to congratulate Uttarakhand CM and other state govt. officials for organizing Kumbh Mela with such grandeur while ensuring all necessary healthcare and safety guidelines are strictly followed considering the current Covid-19 situation. I am positive that the Skill India Pavilion will inspire people like Satyendra Vishal and many others to embrace skill training and leverage lucrative career prospects in the future.”

MSDE together with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is helping youth across the country including Uttarakhand to lead meaningful and sustainable livelihoods. Launched under the Skill India initiative, PMKVY aims to provide quality training to build a skilled and job-ready workforce catering to the evolving demands of the industry. PMKVY has been instrumental in bolstering the skilling ecosystem and with the introduction of PMKVY 3.0, skill development will usher in a new paradigm with a focus on demand-driven skill development, digital technology and Industry 4.0 skills.

Also read: Skill India conducts regional workshop to accelerate implementation of PMKVY 3.0 in North Eastern Region https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/skill-india-conducts-regional-workshop-to-accelerate-implementation-of-pmkvy-3-0/

In Uttarakhand, under PMKVY’s Short Term Training (STT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programs, over 60,000 students have been trained. Over 3,000 candidates have been enrolled under PMKVY 3.0 till December 2020 under job roles like Yoga Trainer, Agriculture, Apparel, Beauty and Wellness etc. Around 92 Industrial Training Institutes are there in Uttarakhand with a capacity of over 15,000 students per year.

Under RPL, MSDE has also approved the Patanjali project in Uttarakhand. With an aim to recognize prior skills and up-skilling the farmers, the initiative is for 80,000 farmers across 29 States and 600 districts to promote Organic Grower and Group Farming practices.