India to augment rural skill infrastructure

Kazan: To bring India in the league of advanced nations like Germany, France, Japan and Singapore in skill development, the government will augment rural skill infrastructure besides setting up three advanced training centres in the country, Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey said here on Thursday.

The minister is here to attend the WorldSkills Kazan 2019 in which a 48-member Indian contingent is geared up to pit their skills against the best in the world. India is the sixth largest team taking part in the competition here, participated by nearly 1,500 competitors from 60 countries in 56 skill competitions from August 22-27. "To make India one of the most advanced nations in skilling, we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy that includes creating an ecosystem to promote talent right from the grassroot.

"On the one hand we are creating infrastructure in rural areas and on the other we will set up three advanced skill training institutions in the country," the minister told PTI in an interview here. He said,"we will bring India into the league of advanced nations like Germany, France, Japan and Singapore to realise the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making India a global skill hub." The three advanced skill training institutions will be set up in Mumbai, Kanpur and Ahmedabad. He said the foundation stone for Indian Institute of Skill at Mumbai will be laid within two months. The Tata Trust will build the state-of-the-art training and skill development centre at a cost of Rs 300 crore while the government will provide prime 4.5 acre land for it. The project will have a capacity to impart new-age skills training like factory automation, digital manufacturing, cyber security, additive manufacturing, data analytics, digital design, smart mechatronics among others to 10,000 students, he said.

The minister for skill development and entrepreneurship said another two institutes will come up at Ahmedabad and Kanpur and their foundation stones will be laid in the next six months. Training at these institutes will be of global standard, he said. e said India has come a long way in the skill training and number of participants in the WorldSkills competition this year has risen to 48 from 28 in 2017. The Indian team will participate in 44 skills, including mobile robotics, prototype modelling, hairdressing, baking, confectionary & patisserie, welding, brick laying, car painting and floristry, among others.

In 2017, the Indian team had won one silver, one bronze and nine medallions of excellence. Pandey urged the participants to learn from international peers, saying as brand ambassadors of India their victory will be an inspiration for every Indian youth who aspires to make it big in their life. "Participating at events of such scale adds to the larger cause of skill development which is integral to the prime minister's vision of a Skilled India." Indian team comprises six skilled girls.

To them, the Pandey said, "I am positive you will inspire many more and we will see increased female participation in the years to come." The 48 contestants have been shortlisted through a series of contests conducted at district, state, regional and national levels over the past year. These candidates were provided extensive training in skills ranging from wall and floor tiling, brick laying, cabinet making, car painting, CNC turning, hair dressing, welding, restaurant service, beauty therapy, auto-body repair to mobile robotics, mechatronics, etc, by leading corporate entities with NSDC acting as a facilitator. Candidates have been exposed to international training with industry support from over 100 companies.