Grameen Udyami Project

• 23 Aug 2022

For Prelims: National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Grameen Udyami Project, Ministry of Skill Development and Enterprises (MSDE).

For Mains: Need for Entrepreneurship at Grassroot level.

Why in News?

Recently, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in partnership with Seva Bharti and Yuva Vikas Society, launched the second phase of the Grameen Udyami Project.

• Under the initiative, the endeavor is to multiskill India’s youth and impart functional skills to them for enabling livelihoods.

What is the National Skill Development Corporation?

• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is a non-profit public limited company established on July 31, 2008, under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956.
  • The Ministry of Finance established NSDC as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
  • The Government of India, through the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), owns 49% of NSDC, while the private sector owns the remaining 51%.
  • The organisation provides funding to develop scalable and successful initiatives for vocational training.

What is Grameen Udyami Project?

• About:
  • It is a unique multiskilling project, funded by NSDC that aims to train 450 tribal students in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
    • The project is being implemented in six states— Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat.
• Significance:
  • There is a dire need to increase ownership at the tribal level so that there is awareness built around such schemes and initiatives.
    • As there is so much potential and ability in the tribal youth, all we need to do is lay down the right avenues for them to use their talent in the right places.
  • This initiative will provide economic empowerment to our tribal population.
• Objectives:
  • Increase in Rural/Local Economy.
  • Enhance employment opportunities.
  • Reduce forced migration due to lack of local opportunities.
  • Conservation of natural resources.

How will Grameen Udyami Project Work?

• Phase -1:
  • Candidates were mobilized from rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
    • The transportation, boarding & lodging were provided to candidates so that they do not miss out on the learning opportunity due to lack of resources.
• Phase-2:
  • The phase-II of the pilot project launched in Ranchi, which is being implemented by Yuva Vikas Society, through Seva Bharti Kendra in Ranchi.
    • NSDC under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Enterprises (MSDE) has supported setting up of labs and classrooms through Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) in Seva Bharti Kendra Skill Development Center.
• The training under the project will be conducted in the following Job roles which are relevant to the local economy.
  • Electrician & Solar PV Installation Technician.
  • Plumbing & Masonry.
  • Two-Wheeler Repair & Maintenance.
  • IT/ITES with e-Governance.
  • Farm Mechanization.

What are the Other Initiatives taken by the Government for Skill Development?

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
• Rozgar Mela.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKK).
• Capacity Building Scheme.
• School Initiatives and Higher Education.
• India International Skill Centres (IISCs).
• Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT).

Way Forward

• Compared to the national average, the contribution of organized sectors to tribal livelihoods is significantly lower due to a lack of skill and education.
  • So, projects like the Grameen Udyami project are important for their improvement and to make sure they can make a living.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. ‘Recognition of Prior Learning Scheme’ is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to (2017)

(a) Certifying the skills acquired by construction workers through traditional channels.
(b) Enrolling the persons in Universities for distance learning programmes.
(c) Reserving some skilled jobs to rural and urban poor in some public sector undertakings.
(d) Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.

Ans: (a)

Exp:

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), GoI launched the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) in the year 2015. The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme was to enable a large number of Indian youth to take up industry-relevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), introduced as a component of PMKVY, largely refers to an assessment process used to evaluate a person’s existing skill set, knowledge and experience gained either by formal, non-formal or informal learning and not under the National Skill Development Program.
• It has threefold objectives: To align the competencies of the un-regulated workforce of the country to the standardized National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). To enhance the employability opportunities of an individual as well as provide alternative routes to higher education. To provide opportunities for reducing inequalities based on privileging certain forms of knowledge over others. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

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Mains

Q. Demographic Dividend in India willremain only theoretical unless our manpower becomes more educated, aware,skilled and creative.” Whatmeasures have been taken by the governmentto enhance the capacity of our population to be more productive and employable? (2016)

Source: PIB