PM-DAKSH Scheme | 16 Mar 2022

For Prelims: PM-DAKSH Scheme, Initiatives Related to Skill Development.

For Mains: Government Policies & Interventions, Significance of PM-DAKSh Scheme in Providing Skill in the Marginalised Groups.

Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has informed the Lok Sabha that the amount of funds earmarked under PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi) Yojana during 2020-21 and 2021-22 are Rs.44.79 crores and Rs.79.48 crores respectively.

Earlier, the Ministry launched ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App to make the skill development schemes accessible to the target groups - SC (Scheduled Caste), OBC (Other Backward Classes), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), Denotified tribes, Sanitation workers.

About:
- It is being implemented from the year 2020-21.
- Under this, eligible target groups are provided with the skill development training programmes on Short Term Training Program; Up-Skilling/Reskilling; Entrepreneurship Development Programme, and Long Term Training Programme.
  - These training programmes are being implemented through the government training institutes, sector skill councils that have been constituted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and other credible institutions.
Eligibility:
- Marginalised persons of SC, OBC, EBC, Denotified tribes, Sanitation workers including waste pickers, manual scavengers, transgenders and other similar categories.
Implementation:
- It is implemented by the three Corporations under the Ministry:
  - National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC),
  - National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC),
  - National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
Status of Skill Development Training of Target Groups:
- Skill development training has been imparted to 2,73,152 people of the target groups in the last 5 years.
- A target, during the year 2021-22, has been set to provide the skill development training to approx 50,000 people of the target groups through these three corporations.

Minimal Economic Assets:
- Most of the persons of the target groups have minimal economic assets; therefore, provision of training and enhancing their competencies is essential for economic empowerment/ upliftment of these marginalised target groups.
Helps Category of Rural Artisans:
- Many of the persons of the target groups belong to the category of rural artisans who have become marginalised owing to the coming of better technologies in the market.
Empowers Women:
- Women due to their overall domestic compulsions, cannot be involved in wage employment which normally involves long working hours and sometimes migration to other cities, there is a need to empower the women amongst the target groups.

What are the Initiatives Related to Skill Development?

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0: It was launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in 2021 in a bid to empower India’s youth with employable skills by making over 300 skill courses available to them.
National Career Service Project: Launched in 2015 to offer free online career skills training to job-seekers registered with it. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood (SANKALP): Its focus is on district-level skilling ecosystem through convergence and coordination. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which is collaborated with the World Bank.
Kaushalacharya Awards: Launched to recognize the contribution made by skill trainers and to motivate more trainers to join the Skill India Mission.
Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS): The scheme is to provide industry apprenticeship opportunities to the general graduates exiting in April 2019 through the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). It was launched by the Ministry of Education.
Atmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM): Launched by MSDE in 2020, it is a portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.

PYQs

1. 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.

(d) Certifying the skills acquired by trainees under the National Skill Development Programme.

Ans: (a)

2. With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements: (2018)

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

2. It, among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.

3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (c)