Question : Skill Development Programme

(a) whether the Ministry is running several programmes for skill development and employment;

(b) if so, whether the Government provides loan, financial assistance to many organizations for running these programmes smoothly and making them successful;

(c) whether a number of organizations have received financial assistance from the Ministry during the last five years but have failed either totally or partially to implement the said programmes;

(d) if so, whether the Government is likely to recover the amount of funds sanctioned to such institutes who have failed in executing the programmes despite seeking financial assistance by taking adequate action against the same; and

(e) if so, the time by which the same is likely to be done and if not, the reasons therefor?

(a) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (2016 - 2020) is the flagship outcome-based Skill Training Scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The objective of this Scheme is to encourage and promote Skill Development for the youth throughout the country.

(b) to (e) National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has been entrusted with a mandate of catalysing the skills landscape in India. Accordingly, NSDC provides financial assistance in the form of loan, grant, equity etc to eligible organisations for running the skill development programs. The organizations which have received financial assistance during the last five years have not failed in the implementation of the said programme, however there have been instances of low performance. Some of the reasons identified for the low performance are unfavourable market conditions, inability to raise additional working capital from external sources and the long gestation period observed in realisation of receivables. However, through continuous monitoring and support, NSDC is handholding such partners to turnaround their operational performance to desirable level. NSDC is currently implementing corrective action plan to stressed loan accounts by way of rectification, restructuring and recovery. Corrective action plan has already been initiated and as a result of ongoing efforts, status of some of Partners earlier classified as NPAs as per Prudential Norms, have been upgraded as Standard Assets.