Child Labour

As per 2001 census, the total number of children working in various occupations including hazardous occupations in the Country was 1.26 core. As a result of various welfare measures taken by the Union Government and the State Governments coupled with stricter enforcement of the provisions of the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986 the number of working children has declined to 90.75 lakh as estimated by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2004-05.

The Government of India has adopted a multi-pronged strategy for eradication of child labour as follows:

            i. A legislative action plan in form of Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986.

            ii. Project-based action plan in areas of high concentration of Child Labour under National Child Labour Project Scheme.

            iii. Focus on general development programmes for the benefit of the families of Child Labour.

National Skill Development Mission

Government has launched a National Skill Development Mission consisting of following three institutions:

Prime Minister’s National Council on Skill Development-under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister, for policy direction and review of spectrum of skill development efforts in country.

            National Skill Development Coordination Board-under the chairmanship of Dy. Chairman Planning Commission to enumerate strategies to implement the decisions of PM’s council.

          National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a non-profit company under the Companies Act, 1956. The corporation is being funded by trust “National Skill Development Fund” to which the Government has contributed a sum of Rs.995.10 crores. The corporation is expected to mobilize about Rs.15, 000 crores from other governments, public sector entities, private sector, bilateral and multilateral sources. The corporation is expected to meet the skill training requirements of the labour market including that of unorganized sector.                                                                                                                                   

National Policy on Skill Development (NPSD) approved by the Government has set a target for skilling 500 million persons by the year 2022. Concerned central Ministries will involve respective departments of state Governments and other stake holders to achieve the target. The details of target for different Ministries/Departments is at Annex-I. MoL&E would train 100 million and the same is planned to be achieved through the following schemes:

Name of the Scheme                      Target  

Craftsmen Training Scheme           29.4 mn

Skill Development Centres             57.2 mn

Apprenticeship Training Scheme   05.4 mn

Skill Development Initiatives

through MES                                   11.0 mn

DGE&T field institutes                     0.5 mn

Total                                              103.5 mn

NOTE: Distribution amongst ministries/Departments has been kept higher that 500 millions.

The objective of NSDC is to fulfill the growing need for skilled manpower in the country, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in skill development.

The salient features of NSDC are:

1.      Upgrade skills of work force through significant industry involvement especially for underprivileged sections of society and backward regions of the country.

2.      Enhance, support and coordinate private sector initiatives for skill development through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models.

3.      Prioritize initiatives that can have a multiplier or catalytic effect.

            NSDC has a target of skilling / upskilling 150 mn people by the year 2022    and  so far 3 proposals have been cleared to train 10,39,000 persons in next 10 years.

National Skill Development Fund NSDF (Trust) has allocated Rs.200 Crores to NSDC during FY 2009-10. NSDC has, so far released Rs 13.05 crores for

funding of following three  proposals. During financial year 2009-10, a sum of Rs 7.15 crore was released. Rs 3.69 crores was released to Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council / Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery, Jaipur, Rajasthan and Rs. 3.46 crore was released  to BASIX Academy for Building Life Long Employability Limited  a company having  Pan-India presence.

  During the current financial year 2010-11, Rs.5.90 Crore has been released to Gram Tarang Employability Training Services Private Limited, Orissa.   NSDC does not release funds to State governments.

The objective of NSDC is to skill/ upskill 150 million people in India including persons from rural areas by the year 2022, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes and providing viability gap funding. NSDC would cover skills from the organized as well as from the un-organized sector.

NSDC will play a significant enabling role in some of essential support services like curriculum, faculty and their training, standards and quality assurance, technology platforms, student placement mechanisms and setting up standards and accreditation systems in partnership with industry associations. All these with participation of industry would improve quality of human resources.

National Innovation Council to be set up Sam Pitroda to Chair the Council

Prime Minister has approved the setting up of a National Innovation Council to prepare a road map for the Decade of Innovation ¬2010-2020. The National Innovation Council would be headed by Shri Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations.

The Council has been given the mandate to evolve an Indian model of innovation focusing on inclusive growth and creating an appropriate eco¬system conducive to fostedng inclusive innovation. It will delineate appropriate policy initiatives within the government required to spur innovation. It will also promote the setting up of Sectoral Innovation Councils and State Innovation Councils.

While encouraging all important sectors of the economy to innovate, it will take special efforts to facilitate innovation by micro small and medium enterprises. Innovation in public services delivery and encouraging multi-disciplinary and globally competitive approaches for innovations would be focused on by the Council.

Kaushal Vikas Yojana

The aim of ‘Kaushal Vikas Yojana (KVY)’ is to provide more equitable access to skill development opportunities across the country by reducing regional imbalances in skill development institutions.

Immediate objective of KVY is to set up 1500 new Industrial Training Institutes, 5000 Skill Development Centres across the country.

The institutes will be set up preferably in unserviced blocks (blocks where no ITIs/ITCs exists), difficult & backward areas including hilly areas, border areas etc.

The scheme is yet to be started and would be implemented through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode involving three partners:-

(i) Private Training Provider playing the lead role;

(ii) State Governments are expected to extend all the possible logistical support, provide land & basic infrastructural facilities free of cost; and

(iii) Central Government providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF).

Navigation System by ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation is developing its own navigation system called Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). The IRNSS will have a constellation of 7 satellites and complementary ground infrastructure. The IRNSS system is planned to be made operational by end of 2014. Government has approved the IRNSS project at a total cost of Rs. 1420.00 crores in May 2006 for both space and ground infrastructure.