gap of 2 million wordforce in India, vocational skills need development…

MUMBAI: A Conference on ‘National Initiatives in Vocational Skills Development’ saw participation of eminent personnel from public and private sector, emphasizing the need to meet the growing demand of skilled workforce in the country

Speaking on the issue, Dr Narendra Jadhav, member Planning Commission said, “The focus of the 12th plan five-year plan is on faster, more inclusive and sustainable growth. The manufacturing sector, currently growing at around eight per cent, needs to grow at 11-12 per cent each year, hence creating at least two million new jobs annually… to fill this gap we have new initiatives like the Kaushal Vikas Yojana that involves setting up of 1,500 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 5,000 skill development centres in public-private partnership (PPP) mode.”

He added that the government follows a three-fold framework, a National Skill Development Council headed by the Prime Minister, a National Skill Development Coordination Board to coordinate 17 ministries, headed by the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, and the National Skill Development Corporation. “We are a young, large and growing population but we need reforms in education and skill development sector to turn into a super power. At present there is training in 11th and 12th standards but consideration is being given to provide vocational education early on, say from the 9th and 10th standards,” DrJadhav said.

The conference also focused on the role of Industry Engagement and saw many members from industry speak about the areas of vocational training that needed attention. Chairman, CII National Skills council, S Mahalingam, said that, “Quality, faculty and employability are the main guidelines to be followed while designing vocational training. It important that the industry acts on the recommendations that they make so that the growth in workforce in not just in numbers but quality as well. We also need to ensure that those who are conducting the training have industrial experience.”

Mr. V.K Singh, Director Administration, Directorate General of Employment & Training (DGET) emphasized the importance of PPP in ITIs and their sustainability as a cause of concern. “We have 9,415 ITIs in India out of which 2244 are run by Government and 7171 are private. We have a seating capacity of 13.29 lakh which can be trained in over 121 trades in courses that vary from 6 months to three years. However with the rising demand of skilled workforce we need to ensure that they are providing the best quality of training and industrial experience.”

The conference also felicitated the best ITIs under PPP in the country with ITI Andheri and industry partner Keystone Realtors being adjudged the best in the country. (Eom)

Time we got freedom from corruption, says Anna

Despite a lower-than-expected turnout on the MMRDA ground at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai, social activist Anna Hazare launched his three-day fast with vigour, reiterating his willingness to sacrifice his life for a stronger Lokpal Bill.

“I want to remind the parliamentarians that they are meant to serve us, not loot us… now the public has woken up and we demand a strong Lokpall Bill so that the country can get freedom from corruption even if we have to sacrifice our life for it,” he told a gathering of nearly 10,000 people.

“After the agitation on the Ramlila Maidan, the Prime Minister promised me that the Bill will be a strong and effective tool against corruption, but the entire country has been cheated. They have no intention to pass a strong Lokpal Bill, because they fear that their own dark deeds will come under scrutiny.”

Mr. Hazare appealed to people to join the jail bharo andolan after the fast.

“Goons and criminals are entering politics … We have to ensure that our law-making bodies remain sacred. We will fight for the ‘right to reject’ so that the voter has the right to say that all the candidates are corrupt or undeserving and if the voter decides to cancel the election, all the candidates will be disqualified.”

Mr. Hazare vowed to campaign against the Congress in State elections scheduled early next year and in the general election, if the Bill that is ultimately passed fails to win his approval.

“Bigger than Parliament in Delhi is the Parliament of people… But bigger than both is the Parliament of the village. Voters of poll-bound States must punish the government for betraying the Lokpal Bill.”

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the government was consciously trying to distract the public by raising unnecessary issues as they were not honest in their intentions to give the people a strong Lokpal Bill.

 

Earlier, Mr. Hazare kicked off his protest from the Juhu beach here in the morning.

The cheering crowd calmed down as Mr. Hazare sat meditating before the Mahatma Gandhi’s statue for a few minutes. He then mounted a decorated open truck with his associates for the rally to the MMRDA ground.

Only a few hundred people turned up at the beach. But as the rally moved to the MMRDA ground, people lined up on both sides of the road and waved at him.

Justice (retired) Santosh Hegde flew down from Mangalore to extend his support. “I am completely with Anna on the demand for a strong Lokpal Bill. In fact, there is no need for additional infrastructure. The Lokpal can use the existing machinery. All that the institution requires is an independent investigating agency that is not under the control of the government.”

Mr. Hegde rejected the government’s argument that there should be no parallel discussion outside Parliament once the Bill is introduced in the House. “We are equal to parliamentarians. Today, the people who are responsible for the Constitution have no voice. We have to discuss our views about the correctness of the Bill,” he told The Hindu .

Mr. Hazare’s motorcade was stopped by 15-20 members of the Republican Party of India (Athawale). They waved black flags at him during his journey.

“We are with Anna for weeding out corruption. But the Lokpal should not break the constitutional framework,” RPI president Ramdas Athawale told TheHindu .

‘UPA discriminating against non-Congress States’

The Chief Ministers of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and senior members of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday accused the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of discriminating against the non-Congress-ruled States.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari, presiding over a conference here on ‘The Policies of UPA — A threat to Indian Federalism’, said the trend of discrimination was a threat to the federal polity of the country. “Bills for the country’s progress and security are passed by the State Assemblies but stay with the Governor for years without any action. This brazen misuse of Governor’s office is hindering the progress of States,” he charged.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said a State like Punjab that contributes over 60 per cent foodgrains to the Central pool has no say in the price of the final product or the cost of inputs. “My post seems hollow as I have no power to bring about any change in the agricultural field because the Centre has taken full control of it. Also the division of lists is such that States get all the area where work needs to be done and the Centre gets the areas where revenue needs to be collected. From the sale price of grains to cost of diesel, fertilizer and insecticide all is as per their orders and neither the farmer nor his representative have any say,” he said.

Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the federal concept of the country was to ensure division of work between the Central and State governments for optimum utilization of resources but the present government discriminates against the States that are not led by the Congress. “The Inter-State Council has not met even once in the last three years so there is no platform for interaction. Without releasing any funds, the Central Government announces a policy or project and we are held responsible for its implementation even if we have a better scheme already running or we need something else instead,” he said.

“We have been requesting that a railway line be built up to Leh so that the movement of the Army can be easier and the tough terrain of Leh can be accessed in case of emergencies but instead of considering it a matter of strategic importance, the Railway Ministry favours the Minister’s State,” he said, adding that the government bends rules to benefit corporate and MNCs but it creates hurdles for State governments and ultimately the States are held answerable.

“The Congress-led Central Government has utterly failed in controlling and checking the unprecedented price rise, black money and terrorism yet with its unconstitutional policies and with the blatant misuse of Governors, it is trying to destabilise the NDA- ruled State governments,” Mr Gadkari said.