Textiles Min to skill 54k beneficiaries
Approves training proposal for 53,907 candidates under Samarth programme
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi The Ministry of Textiles has approved the training of 53,907 beneficiaries under the Samarth programme. An Empowered Committee, chaired by Textiles Secretary Rachna Shah, recently cleared the new training target.
In 2017, the central government launched the Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS) or Samarth. The broad objective of the scheme was to skill the youth for gainful and sustainable employment in the textile sector. For three years, Rs1,300 crore was allocated for the training of 10 lakh people.
As many as 47,949 of beneficiaries will be trained by 21 existing good-performing implementing partners, official sources told Bizz Buzz.
While the textile and apparel industry is the biggest employer after agriculture, like other manufacturing segments it also suffers from the skill gap. This is despite the fact that its entire value chain, from fiber to apparel making, has a strong presence within the country. In order to address the issue of skill gap, the Samarth programme was launched.
Samarth is aimed at providing demand-driven, placement-oriented National Skills Qualifications Framework-compliant skilling programmes. The idea is to incentivize and supplement the efforts of the industry to create jobs in the organized textile and related sectors, covering the entire value chain of textile, excluding spinning and weaving, the sources said.
It is also aimed to promote skilling and skill upgrade in the traditional sectors of handlooms, handicrafts, sericulture, and jute. Samarth is implemented by: the textiles industry; institutions and organizations of the Union Ministry of Textiles and state governments; and reputed training institutions, NGOs, societies, trusts, etc.
Since the skill gap was too huge, Samarth was extended till 2023-24.
In February, Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal had urged the industry to utilize Samarth “to contribute to the development of skilled personnel in the industry. I would like the technical textile industry to have a target of 2 lakh people being trained every two years.”
Bridging Gaps
l Govt allocates Rs1,300 cr for training 10L people
l It covers entire value chain of textiles
l It aims at creating jobs in organized textile, related sectors
l It also aimed to promote skilling, skill upgrade in handlooms, etc