Lok Sabha Question No. 304 (STARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: Skill Development Initiative Scheme
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED Q. NO. 304

ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## SKILL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE SCHEME

## 304. SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE.

Will the Minister of Minority Affairs be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  Skill  Development  Initiative  Scheme  (Seekho  Aur  Kamao) initiative in the State of Assam;
- (b) the  number  and  names  of  Project  Implementing  Agencies  engaged  with  the aforesaid scheme in Assam, district-wise; and
- (c) the details of the number of youths trained so far under the scheme; and
- (d) whether  there  is  any  mechanism  to  know  the  number  of  trained  youth  who have been absorbed in employment or entrepreneurial venture and if so, the details thereof especially in Barpeta and Bongaigaon districts?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a) to (d)  A statement is laid on the table of the House.

Statement referred to in reply to Parts (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.  304  asked  by  Shri  Abdul  Khaleque  regarding  Skill  Development  Initiative Scheme

(a) 'Seekho Aur Kamao' scheme (Learn and Earn) is a placement-linked skill development scheme for minorities which aims to upgrade the skills of minority youth  (in  the  age  group  of  14-45  years)  in  various  modern/  traditional  skills depending  upon  their  qualification,  present  economic  trends,  and  market potential,  that  can  earn  them  suitable  employment  or  make  them  suitably skilled to take up self-employment.

The scheme aims to integrate the trained minority beneficiaries, socially and economically  in  the  national  mainstream.  Minorities  covered  in  the  scheme include the six notified minority  communities under the National Commission for minorities Act, 1992 viz, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains.33%  of  the  total  targets  in  the  scheme  are  earmarked  for  female beneficiaries.  The  Ministry  invites  applications  from  Project  Implementing Agencies (PIAs) from all over India for imparting skill training to the targeted beneficiaries.

In  the state of Assam, 19,727 beneficiaries have been trained under Seekho Aur  Kamao  scheme  since  inception  till  FY  2021-22  (of  which  9820  are females).

Additionally, the Ministry implements 'Nai Manzil' scheme that aims to benefit the minority youth (both men and women) belonging to the six notified minority communities in the age group of 17-35 years, who do not have formal school leaving  certificate  i.e.  those  in  the  category  of  school  dropouts  or  those educated  in  community  education  institutions  like  Madarasas.  30%  of  the beneficiary seats under the scheme are earmarked female candidates and 5% for  persons  with  disability  belonging  to  the  minority  community.  The  scheme provides  a  combination  of  formal  education  (class  VIII  or  X)  and  skills,  to enable  beneficiaries  to  seek  better  employment  opportunities  and  livelihood. The  scheme  is  implemented  through  selected  PIAs  which  are  empanelled through an open, transparent process by inviting Expression of Interest (EoIs) for organizations.

Under the Nai Manzil scheme, since inception a total of 93,485 beneficiaries (of which 39,635 are females) have been skill trained.  In the state of Assam, 4,587 beneficiaries have been skill trained in the scheme.

Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) has  launched    Gharib  Nawaz Skill  Development  Training  for  minorities  from  the  year  2017-18  which  has been renamed as Gharib Nawaz Employment Scheme from the year 201920.    Under    this  scheme  various  short-term  job  oriented  skill  development courses are provided to minorities youth in order to enable them for skill based employment.   This scheme is being implemented as per common norms of the  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  &  Entrepreneurship  (MSD&E)    through  the empanelled Program Implementing Agencies (PIAs).

Under  this    Scheme,  since  inception  a  total    67,986  beneficiaries    (  out  of which 39,297 females) have been skill trained .

Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development  (USTTAD) scheme  was  launched  on  14th  May,  2015  to preserve  the  rich  heritage  of  traditional  arts/crafts  of  minorities.  The  scheme aims  at capacity building and  updating the traditional skills of  master craftsmen/artisans, documentation of identified traditional arts/crafts of minorities,  set  standards  for  traditional  skills,  training  of  minority  youths  in various identified traditional arts/crafts through master craftsmen, and develop national  and  international  market  linkages.  The  scheme  is  implemented through  NGOs  and  other  Organisations,  known  as,  Project  Implementing Agencies (PIAs).

A  total  of  23,130  trainees  (out  of  which  20620  females  )  have  been  trained under the USTTAD Scheme so far.

- (b) The list of PIAs working in Assam under the Seekho Aur Kamao scheme and Nai Manzil scheme is as per the table below.
*   PIAs under Barpeta District
- **  PIA under Bongaigaon District
- (c) So far, more than 6.44  lakh beneficiaries out of which 3.64 lakh are female have received skill development training under above mentioned skill oriented schemes of the Ministry.

| PIAs in Assam state under Seekho Aur Kamao Scheme   | PIAs in Assam state under Seekho Aur Kamao Scheme   |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Sn                                                  | PIA Name                                            |
| 1                                                   | Adarsha Samaj Kalyan Samittee                       |
| 2                                                   | Ahsus Foundation                                    |
| 3                                                   | Ajmal Foundation                                    |
| 4*                                                  | Basix Academy for Building Lifelong Employability   |
| 5                                                   | Bright Future.Com                                   |
| 6                                                   | Don Bosco Tech Society                              |
| 7                                                   | Down Town Charity Trust                             |
| 8                                                   | Gurukulgyan Learnings Private Limited               |
| 9                                                   | Indian Institute Of Skill Development               |
| 10                                                  | Infovalley Educational and Research Private Limited |
| 11*                                                 | Orion Edutech                                       |
| 12                                                  | The Social Foundation                               |
| 13                                                  | Uddipan                                             |
| 14                                                  | Ultimate Energy Resource Private Limited            |
| 15 **                                               | Valeur Fabtex Private Limited                       |

| PIAs in Assam state under Nai Manzil Scheme   | PIAs in Assam state under Nai Manzil Scheme      |
|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| Sn                                            | PIA Name                                         |
| 1                                             | AJMAL Foundation                                 |
| 2                                             | CPIT Edutech Pvt. Ltd.                           |
| 3                                             | The Awareness                                    |
| 4                                             | Education Research & Development Foundation      |
| 5                                             | Down Town Charity Trust                          |
| 6                                             | All India Society of Education                   |
| 7                                             | Nai Disha                                        |
| 8                                             | Ajmal Foundation                                 |
| 9                                             | Karuna                                           |
| 10                                            | Lichhwi                                          |
| 11                                            | Satyabhama Dantabya Chikitsa Kendra              |
| 12                                            | Vivekanand Paryavaran Evam Arogya Mission (VPAM) |

Hunar  Haat  is  also  being  implemented  since  2016-17  as  a  component  of USTTAD scheme and is an effective platform wherein opportunity is given to artisans/craftsmen and culinary experts from across the country to showcase and market their handicrafts and indigenous products.  So far, more than 8 lkh artisans, craftsmen and people associated with them have benefitted through various Hunar Haats organized by the Ministry throughout the country.

- (d) A  mechanism  is  in  place  to  monitor  the  number  of  youths  absorbed  in employment/entrepreneurship  under  the  scheme.    Random  checks  are  also made  to  authenticate  the  veracity  of  claims  made  by  the  PIAs.    1.72  lakh beneficiaries  have  been  reported  as  placed  all  over  India  under  the  Seekho Aur  Kamao  scheme.      Total  number  of  trained  beneficiaries  in  the  State  of Assam  is  19727,  out  of  which  8,476  beneficiaries  have  been  reported  as placed as per the Seekho Aur Kamao portal.   4991 beneficiaries have been trained in Barpeta of which 2534 beneficiaries have been reported as placed. 154 beneficiaries have been trained in Bongaigaon of which 42 beneficiaries have been reported as placed under the scheme.

Under Nai Manzil scheme, a total of 34,340 beneficiaries have been reported placed all over India including 4587 beneficiaries in Assam State.

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