Govt to skill 3 lakh migrant workers from 116 districts

Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey on Wednesday said plans are underway to skill, re-skill and up-skill three lakh migrant workers from 116 districts identified across the country.

The minister for skill development and entrepreneurship said his department has linked the skilling aspect to the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) launched earlier.

It will provide short-term training and recognition of prior learning to 1.5 lakh migrant workers each, from 116 districts in states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Bengal, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

"Preparations are complete in this regard. We will skill migrants who are unskilled, re-skill those having skill gaps and up-skill those who want to develop further skills," Pandey said.

He was addressing the annual general meeting of industry chamber PHDCCI via video conference.

The main motto behind all these initiatives is to develop capabilities and make India 'aatmanirbhar' or self-reliant in various spheres, said the minister.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in June launched the employment scheme for migrant workers, saying that during the coronavirus-induced lockdown the talent from cities returned to villages and it will now give a boost to development in rural areas.

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, with an outlay of Rs 50,000 crore, will be implemented on mission mode in 125 days in 116 districts.

The amount will be dedicated to building anganwadi centres, gram panchayat bhawans, railway works, national highway works, and water conservation projects.

The programme aims to restore the lost livelihoods of the migrant workers during the lockdown. It also aims to prepare for expansion and the development of livelihoods for the long run.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)