Kashmir News Bureau
Srinagar, Mar 09 (KNB): Skill Development is considered as the backbone of employment generation and directs in right direction the skills of uneducated and educated youth. Post 2010 unrest the special focus of the Central and the state government has been to lay thrust on the skill development of youth of Kashmir to give them right direction.
In this regard National Skill Development corporation , Ministry of Human resource Development, Ministry of Minority affairs are playing a key role in executing the skill development projects in Kashmir and also projects outside Kashmir aimed at aiding the youth of Kashmir towards better career opportunities. Udaan has been one of the main schemes training Kashmiri youth for mostly employment prospects outside, introduced the Rs.1,000-crore Udaan project —a flagship programme to provide Kashmiri youth with professional training and jobs and has been highly successful.
On the otherhand, the skill development centers training the youth of Kashmir in diverse skills like cutting and tailoring, Beautician, Electrician, Plumbering, Public relations, IT under the auspices of different ministries are paying high dividends.
A skill development centre being run by Career Park NGO at Khansahab over the past three years have trained thousands of youth via their skill development centre near Khansahab Budgam.
Mohammad Iqbal, head of the Skill Development centre states – “ We via our Khansahab skill development centre by undertaking different projects from the National Skill Development Centre and Ministry of Minorities, Ministry of social justice . We have near around at our skill development centre trained about 2000 youth belonging to Budgam District and adjoin areas. Today Skill development is proving more fruitful than formal education.
From cutting and tailoring to beautician skills and electrician we have trained youth in many forms of skill development. These skill development centers should be enhanced through length and breadth of the Kashmir as they are helping the youth to move in right direction.”
Abdul Rashid, who is trained from same institute belives the skill development is key – “I learned cutting and tailoring from the skill development centre run by Career Park running projects from different ministries .Today the skill I learnt is helping me to earn bread and butter .Skill development is key to move forward for Kashmiri youth.”
On grassroots, the Skill Development initiatives are changing the valley of Kashmir towards betterment.
State Engagement officer Khakashan Anjum, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), while talking to the Kashmir News Bureau stated – “We live in age of Skill development, adding, NSDC is implementing agency working under Ministry of SKILL attempting dual prong approach for well educated and less educated , with aim of bringing ,enhancing and fine tuning skill and better employment.
The graduate and diploma holders are taken for training and employment through partnership of NSDC and Corporate and those who are not graduate or having any professional degree are trained in PMKVY centres so that they are skilled to earn their livelihood. They are also assisted in establishment of their units financially as well as logistically.
The main thrust area is to make Udaan scheme more vibrant and via skill development provide more meaningful employment opportunities to our youth.
We are as implementing agency trying to make more effective the skill development programmes run by different central ministries and also coordinating with related state department to make the skill development mechanism more effective for our youth .Making our youth the best in terms of skills is our objective as it will allow them to flourish in this era of cut throat completion.” (KNB)