01/12/2020 - Governance

KEY POINTS

·      India has 487 million workers, and over a million join the labour force every month. India ranks 78th on a list of 122 countries as per the Human Capital Development report of the World Economic Forum.

·      Therefore, the skill training ecosystem must take an integrated view of existing and potential demand, trainees, training providers and employers.

·      Decentralised skill programme formulation and implementation would systematically capture demand, which, in turn, would result in supply rearranging itself to meet this demand.

·      Effective decentralisation presupposes utilising existing institutions to greater effect. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is responsible for national skills training policy and management, and is aided by many institutions.

·      The State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs) were launched in nearly all states to manage their skill development. Most states have also created designated district committees (generally called DSCs, but known by different appellations across states) to manage skill development.

·      In many cases, DSCs have not been able to arrive at action plans to achieve their objectives. They lack leadership as well as financial resources. Most do not have a working secretariat. Their positioning and role at the district level is yet to be clearly spelled out.

·      Governments need to strengthen DSCs by providing adequate financing. Professionals and subject-matter experts must be engaged for economic potential mapping and aligning skills to opportunities.

·      A robust working linkage is needed between state skill missions (SSDM) and DSCs, so that opportunities and capacity at the national and state levels can be factored into the DSDPs.

In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic induced current challenges of rural distress and sustained livelihood, decentralisation has to be extended beyond designated district committees to gram panchayats, to accelerate skill development and improve qualitative growth of the labour market in the country.

>>> Why decentralisation needed ?

- To ensure better alignment of demand and supply locally : Decentralised skill programme formulation and implementation would systematically capture demand of labour with specific skill, which, in turn, would result in supply of labour rearranging itself to meet this demand.

- To manage labour migration issues, and provide for robust monitoring of skill development with the help of - the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs).

>>> Issues with district committeess : 

- lack of leadership as well as financial resources. 

- Most do not have a working secretariat. 

- Their positioning and role at the district level is yet to be clearly spelled out. 

- Their efficacy is subject to the personal engagement of individuals.

- In many cases, a district skill development plan (DSDP) has been produced by many as District committess, but their real contribution or even participation in the process has been illusory.

             Due to all these issues, district committees have not been able to arrive at action plans to achieve their objectives of accelerating skill development in the country.

Please review..