State Minister for labour, Employment and Training Raj Paliwar has blamed his counterpart at the Centre Rajiv Pratap Rudi for influx of NGOs from outside coming for skill development in Jharkhand. Paliwar cited the agreement done by the Center with the National Skill Development Center (NSDC) in this regard to drive home his point.
“I agree that outsiders are coming in bulk in the selection process underway to identify NGOs for providing skill development training to the local youth in Jharkhand. But our hands are tied. It is because of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship entering into agreement with NDSC for running skill development training in every State. Union Minister of State Rajiv Pratap Rudy’s Ministry has already signed the agreement which is also binding on to us,” said Paliwar when asked about the selection process continuing.
Jharkhand Skill Development Society (JSDS) had halted the bid opening on earlier occasion due to the controversy and opposition coming from local NGOs working in the field of skill development. The JSDC had invited the NGOs affiliated with the NSDC or a Sector Skill Council (SSC) only to participate in the bidding. The process is for appointing NGOs under the pilot project ‘Saksham Jharkhand Kaushal Vikas Yojya’.
Conditions laid, say that only such organisations working in the field of skill development can be considered as deemed bidders. As the clause feared to bar entry of NGOs working here in Jharkhand without getting affiliated with NSDC, there was great amount of opposition to the move.
Nevertheless, when the bid opened again on October 29 about 100 proposals considered for further scrutiny minus any breakthrough for local NGOs. “Nearly 70 proposals from the NGOs have been shortlisted for technical presentation and it is expected that 25-30 would be selected for finally being deputed on every district.
“Since no relaxation in the earlier set norms have been done hardly any NGOs from Jharkhand would qualify,” said a top official of JSDC.
The Minister moreover pinned hope that some other way would be found out to deal with the situation. “We cannot do much in this but I am looking at some other ways. May be some other proposal would be invited which would make entry of local organisations for skill development. I have cleared the Cabinet note on today itself for the release of Rs30 crore for skill development which was approved in the Supplementary Budget,” added Paliwar.
However there is another opinion within the Department that advocates for some sort of standardisation in the form of NSDC affiliation for the NGOs to be given responsibility to enhance skill and make unskilled youths employable in real terms.