(a) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to improve the bridge between education and employment, and to prepare young people for the future of work so far;
(b) the details of the funds sanctioned, allocated and utilized for this so far within Assam;
(c) the details of the target set and achievements made so far along with its response; and
(d) the steps being taken by the Government to cover the wider section especially rural areas people in the State under this scheme?
(a) to (d): Employment generation alongwith improving employability of the youth is the priority concern of the Government.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to integrate vocational education programmes into mainstream education in all educational institutions in a phased manner. Beginning with vocational exposure at early ages in middle and secondary school, quality vocational education will be integrated smoothly into higher education. This is in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4.4 and will help to realize the full potential of India’s demographic dividend.
Ministry of Education is implementing a Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS), a program conceived for students in degree courses, primarily non-technical, with a view to introduce employable skills into their learning, promote apprenticeship as integral to education and also amalgamate employment facilitating efforts of the education system so that clear pathways towards employment opportunities are available to students during and after their graduation.
The National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) is being implemented by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), wherein Government reimburses 25 percent of the stipend payable to apprentices also enhances employability of the youth to access employment.
MSDE is also implementing a pilot scheme Pradhan Mantri YUVA (PM YUVA) Yojana for creating an enabling ecosystem for entrepreneurship development through entrepreneurship education, training, advocacy and easy access to the entrepreneurship network in skill training institutes, viz. ITIs, PMKKs, JSS etc. The pilot is being implemented in ten States and two UTs. In Assam and Meghalaya, the PM YUVA Pilot is being implemented in selected Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKKs) and Jan Sikshan Sansthan (JSS). MSDE also provides capacity building and handholding support to the beneficiaries of Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSSs) and cluster artisans of North-Eastern Region, for their livelihood linkages.
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is implementing a programme for skilling of rural youth for entrepreneurship development through Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs). The number of candidates trained and placed in Assam in 2020-21 is 7208 and 5145 respectively.
MoRD, is also implementing the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), as a sub-scheme under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana -National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). The objective of the scheme is to help the rural poor including youth to set-up enterprises at the village level in non-agricultural sectors. The number of enterprises supported in Blocks in Assam since 2018 is 3624 and enterprises formed as on June 2021 is 670.
Department of Financial Services (DFS) under Ministry of Finance is implementing Stand Up India Scheme with objective to facilitate loans from Scheduled Commercial Banks (SBCs) of value between Rs. 10 Lakh to Rs. 1 Crore to atleast one Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe borrower and one-woman borrower per bank branch for setting up Greenfield enterprise in manufacturing, services or trading sector and activities allied to agriculture. As on 31.03.2021, 141 loans amounting to Rs. 37.08 crore have been disbursed in the State of Assam in 2020-21.
DFS is also implementing Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) which facilitates collateral free loans of upto Rs. 10 Lakh to individuals for business activities in the non-agricultural sector and activities allied to agriculture. As on 31.03.2021, over 11.89 lakh loans amounting to Rs. 7657.19 crore have been disbursed in the State of Assam in 2020-21.
Besides above, Ministry of Labour & Employment is implementing National Career Service (NCS) Project which comprises a digital portal that provides a nation-wide online platform for the job seekers and employers for job search and matching in a dynamic and responsive manner and has a repository of career content for job seekers. Under the NCS project, Government is also providing financial assistance upto Rs. 50 Lakh for establishment of Model Career Centres (MCCs) including upgradation of employment exchanges to MCCs to deliver employment related services. Government is also providing grant-in-aid to the State Governments under the Interlinking component of NCS project for organizing job fairs, up-gradation of Information Technology and refurbishment of the existing employment exchanges. Under Interlinking of Employment Exchanges component, Rs. 4.64 crore has been released to State of Assam. Further, under component of MCC, grant in aid of Rs. 2.61 crore have been approved.
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