Lok Sabha Question No. 1493 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-29
Subject: Skill Development under Make in India and Digital India
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL, ARJUN RAM  MEGHWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1493 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.7.2015

## Skill Development under Make in India and Digital India

## 1493.  SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL: SHRI ARJUN MEGHWAL:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  intends  to  launch  any  skill  development  initiatives under  the  Make  in  India  and  Digital  India  programmes,  particularly  for  the minorities;
- (b) if so, the details of the schemes along with the targets fixed for skill training therein and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to set up skill development centres on the unused land of wakf boards; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): Ministry of Minority Affairs has proposed to launch a new scheme of 'Nai Manzil' in August, 2015. This is an integrated education and livelihood initiative for  school  dropouts  and  madarsa  students.  Moreover,  Ministry  has  already launched various schemes/programmes for skill development and Digital Literacy for minorities under Make in India and Digital India Prgrammes in 2014-15. The details of the programmes and targets fixed therein are as follows:

- (i) 'USTTAD  (Upgrading  the  Skills  and  Training  in  Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development)' : The scheme was launched on 14.5.2015 to preserve rich heritage of traditional arts/crafts of minorities, set standards of crafts practiced by minorities, build capacity of poor traditional artisans/craftsmen and link them with market. A target of skill training of 1500 persons from the minority community has been set for 2015-16.
- (ii) Maulana  Azad  National  Academy  for  Skills  (MANAS): The National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC), a CPSE under  this  Ministry,  has  established  MANAS  on  11/11/2014.  Based  on market  demand,  the  academy  provides  an  All  India  level  framework  for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (E&SDP), for imparting training  to  minority  population  with  concessional  credit  linkages.  As  per Memorandum  of  Understanding  signed  between  Ministry  and  NMDFC, 30,000  no.  of  youths  have  been  targeted  to  provide  entrepreneurship Development/Skill  development  through  MANAS  during  2015-16.  MANAS has already trained 6000 trainees in 2014-15.

(iii) Cybergram: To impart Digital Literacy,this scheme is being implemented in identified Minority Concentration Blocks/Towns under Multisectoral  Development  Programme  (MsDP)  since  2014-15.  The  initiative covers the students studying in class 6 th to  10 th   of  Madarsas/Government schools having no facility of computer education. Since 2014-15, training of 3,61,257  minority  students  has  been  sanctioned  in  the  States  of  West Bengal, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. No targets are fixed under the scheme as  it  is  based  on  proposal  received  from  various  State  Governments/UT administrations.

In addition to above, the existing programme of 'Seekho aur Kamao' is also contributing to 'Make in India' Programme. 'Seekho aur Kamao' is a placement linked skill development programme for minority youths, being implemented since the year 2013-14. This scheme aims at upgrading the skills of minority youths in various modern as well as traditional skills which can earn them suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment. The scheme ensures placements of minimum 75% trained youths, out of which at least 50% placement is in organized sector. Since inception, the targets fixed and achievements are as follows:

| Year    | Physical targets (Number of minority youths to be trained)   | Achievements (Number of minority youths sanctioned)   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 | 20,000                                                       | 20,164                                                |
| 2014-15 | 20,000                                                       | 20,720                                                |
| 2015-16 | 25,000                                                       | 17,450 (up to 30.6.2015)                              |

(c): At present, there is no such proposal.

(d): Does not arise.

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