(a) whether the Government has established Vocational Training Centres in tribal areas of Maharashtra;
(b) if so, the place-wise details thereof;
(c) the criteria to establish the said Vocational Training Centres; and
(d) whether the said prescribed criteria is being followed along with the reaction of the Government thereto and if so, the details thereof?
(a) to (d): Ministry of Tribal Affairs was running a separate Scheme under which funds were provided for running Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) by the State Governments / NGOs. Under the scheme funds were provided as 100% grants at the rate of Rs. 30000/- per trainee per annum for free vocational training facilities to tribal youth as well as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). As part of rationalization of schemes of the Ministry, the intervention of Vocational Training Centres is subsumed under the Schemes of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) and Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution from 2018-19 onwards. Under the scheme SCA to TSS and Article 275(1) Grants, assistance is provided as 100% grant in the form of an additive to State for tribal development including Skill Development / Vocational Training programmes based on the proposal received from them after appraisal and approval by the Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) in the Ministry.
Although no such vocational centre was supported by MoTA in Maharashtra under the erstwhile VTC Scheme, funds have been provided to the State of Maharashtra for skill development and vocational training of tribal persons under the schemes ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) and Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution during last three years as detailed below:
Year Amount (Rs. in lakh)
2016-17 1000.00
2017-18 0.00
2018-19 779.74
Total 1779.74
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