The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has recently unveiled the ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and ‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App. This innovative platform is designed to make skill development schemes accessible to the target groups – particularly Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Safai Karamcharis.
About PM-DAKSH Yojana
The PM-DAKSH initiative, implemented from the 2020-21 financial year, aims to provide eligible target groups with various skill development training programmes. These include Short Term Training Programmes, Up-Skilling/Reskilling initiatives, Entrepreneurship Development Programmes, and Long Term Training Programmes. All these training schemes are executed through government training institutes, sector skill councils established by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and other credible establishments.
Eligibility for PM-DAKSH
Marginalized persons from Scheduled Castes (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Backward Classes, Denotified tribes, sanitation workers, manual scavengers, waste pickers, transgenders, and similar categories can avail the benefits of this scheme.
Implementation of PM-DAKSH
Three corporations under the auspices of the Ministry implement the scheme: National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
Status of Skill Development Training of Target Groups
In the last five years, the scheme has provided skill development training to 2,73,152 individuals within the target groups. For the year 2021-22, the aim is to extend the training to approximately 50,000 more people through these three corporations.
Significance of the Scheme
The majority of individuals in the target groups possess minimal economic assets. Providing training and enhancing their competencies is crucial for their economic upliftment. Many of these target individuals are rural artisans who have become marginalized due to the advent of advanced technologies. Women, owing to domestic commitments, may find it challenging to engage in wage employment involving long working hours, sometimes combined with migration. Therefore, empowering these women is another critical aspect of this scheme.
Skill Development Initiatives in India
Several other initiatives related to skill development have been launched in recent times:
– Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0: Launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in 2021, this initiative offers more than 300 skill courses to empower India’s youth.
– National Career Service Project: Launched in 2015, it provides free online career skills training for registered job-seekers.
– Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood (SANKALP), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in collaboration with the World Bank, is focused on district-level skilling ecosystems through convergence and coordination.
– Kaushalacharya Awards: Instituted to acknowledge the contribution of skill trainers and motivate more trainers to join the Skill India Mission.
– Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS): Launched by the Ministry of Education, it provides industry apprenticeship opportunities to graduating students.
– Atmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASEEM): Launched by MSDE in 2020, this portal helps skilled individuals to find sustainable livelihood opportunities.