Back in 2004, Rajasthan government had set up the Skill Mission under their RMoL program (Rajasthan Mission on Livelihoods). They then didn’t know that the state will emerge a national leader in skill development one day. Nearly a decade later, the state stamped its authority in ‘the game of skills’ by bagging the ‘Golden Trophy Award’ at the Assocham Skill India Summit organized this week.
It isn’t the first time that Rajasthan has received the highest honor in the field of skilling. They’ve received this award three times in a row, thus, fulfilling CM Vasundhara Raje’s dream of empowering and employing youths in high-paying jobs.
Considering the cut-throat competition that exists in the modern society, it is necessary to “equip and upgrade the skills” of our younger generations, as they’re future torch bearers that would lead our country towards self-reliance. Raje government, keeping this thought in mind, designed a blueprint on skill and livelihood development for youngsters, and aimed at linking them with the global skills ecosystem. That’s how Rajasthan had set out on the quest for creating sustainable opportunities for the youth.
Rajasthan government, in coordination with professionals, secretaries, and independent advisers of 11 government departments, reconstituted RMoL for skill development in February 2014. Under RMoL, they launched RSLDC (Rajasthan Skill & Livelihoods Development Corporation), a non-profit, government-owned organization that executes short-term skill-training programs in the entire state.
RSLDC provides both short-term training and employment to youth, housewives, and students in various industries, under different programs including:
- ELSTP (Employment Linked Skill Training Programme) in retail, construction, automotive, & ICT industries
- SDIS (Skill Development Initiative Scheme) for industrial and ITI training in electronics, electrical, fabrication, welding, nursing and medical industries
- DDU-GKY (Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana) launched in August 2014 for the rural population, training is delivered at 120 active SDCs in Rajasthan
- RSTP (Regular Skill Training Programme) targeting women, youth, jail inmates, and specially-abled people; the training ensures self-employment, enterprise development and enhancement of individual productivity
- Other Special certificates like CII, ATDC, BSE-BIL, NIFT, and IIGJ for quality training
Under the aegis of Rajasthan government, total 193,000 youths received their training since December 2013, not to mention that over 190,000 youths will be receiving training in 250 new SDCs scattered over all 33 districts. Many youths received employment in various sectors, including healthcare, beauty, and technical industry, after emerging out of training!
In time, the government roped in private players like Toyota Motors, Cairn India Limited, Safexpress, Samsung, Caterpillar, Chambal on Animation, L&T, ISRO, TATA, NTTF, OLA, TCS, Reymond, and BOSCH to create employment for over 1 lakh youths.
The government, moved by the positive results, decided to train 1.5 lakh youngsters every year, starting from 2015 onwards. Thus, the relentless efforts of the government and private players have provided employment to over 6 lakh youths in different industries, successfully meeting the goals set in CM Raje’s Sankal Swaraj. Now, they’re bent on including trades for minorities, transgender, and ex-servicemen.
In future, Rajasthan may come forth as the leading creator and supplier of a skilled workforce.
