Uttarakhand skill development mission (USDM) director Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey said on Saturday that to facilitate the unemployed youth to get employment, vocational training programme running for three to six months is being organised. Calling it a unique initiative of USDM, he said that even the jail inmates of the district are being given commercial training. This would help them earn their livelihood in a dignified manner on their release from jail, he said, adding that the youths who would participate in the training programmes would be issued certificates. He further said that these programmes are being orgniased under the aegis of ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship with affiliation to multiple sector skills council. The certificates being valid across the country, the holders, including the jail inmates, would be able to avail them anywhere, he said, adding that they might even initiate their own entrepreneurship on the strength of the certificates. “They can get loans easily from the banks or financial institutions to go for self-employment or entrepreneurship,” he said.
He further said that currently there are 1200 male and 65 female inmates in Dehradun jail out of whom 350 males are being trained under different sectors like beauty and wellness centre, agricultural sector, food production sector, carpenter sector, garment making and footwear making sector. The objective of the mission is to organise such programmes in other district jails like those in Haridwar, Haldwani and Sitarganj, he said, adding that at least 500 prisoners would be trained. In Dehradun jail, such training programme is being held since October 27 this year.
Similar training programme is being organized for the women inmates of Nari Niketan in Dehradun as well. “We are imparting training on beauty and wellness since October 27. We are inclined to organise such skill development programmes in other women homes and child reformation centres. Currently, our programmes are being run on mission mode in jails, Nari Niketans and child reformation centres,” Pandey said.