3 Lakh Indian Youth To Be Sent To Japan For On-Job Training 

New Delhi: Giving a major push to the Skill India initiative, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved two schemes envisaging an investment of Rs 6,655 crore and gave nod to a proposal to send 3 lakh youth to Japan for on-job training.

Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the two schemes Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (Sankalp) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (Strive) will be supported by World Bank. The minister also said that during his forthcoming visit to Japan he would be signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on the 'Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP)' under which three lakh youth would be provided on-job training for three to five years with Japanese assistance.

The Cabinet also gave post-factor approval to an MoU for cooperation between India and Belarus in the field of vocational education and training, paving the way for transfer of Belarusian expertise and know how in skilling manpower, especially in the manufacturing sector.

The selection of the youth will be done in a transparent manner according to Japanese requirements. Besides, the Sankalp and Strive schemes are aimed at bringing institutional reforms and improve quality as well as market relevance of skill development training programmes.

Sankalp is Rs 4,455 crore centrally sponsored scheme, including Rs 3,300 crore loan support from World Bank whereas Strive is a Rs 2,200 crore - central sector scheme, with half of the scheme outlay as World bank loan assistance.

Sankalp and Strive are outcome focused schemes marking shift in government's implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results, said an official release. "We will establish 66 plus India International Skilling Institutions at natural migration points in the country through this investment," Pradhan said while briefing media about the CCEA decision.

The schemes would provide the required impetus to the National Skill Development Mission, 2015 and its various sub missions. They are aligned to flagship government programmes such as Make in India and Swachhta Abhiyan.

Besides, under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Belarus shall provide comprehensive transfer of know how of emerging technologies, training and evaluation methodologies, content development for regular and distance learning, e- learning and training of master trainers, competency building of the assessors in area of their competency and network building and industry linkages.

The Eurasian nation will also provide vocational education services for Indian citizens for skill development in the field of construction, electric-power production and distribution, manufacturing industry, trade, auto service and household goods repair and maintenance, transport, communication, hotels and restaurants as well as other fields.

The MoU will also entail retraining, up-skilling, internship for vocational education and training managers, teachers and trainers of India. Belarus will provide advisory services in order to enhance planning, management and delivery of vocational education and training and skill development.

PTI