Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today met with Union Secretary of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Atul Kumar Tiwari, to discuss strategies for enhancing the skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives across the Union Territory.

Present on the occasion were Regional Director, V Babu, MSDE; Director, National Council for Vocational Education & Training, Colonel Gunjan Chowdhary; Secretary SDD, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan; Director, Employment, Shahzad Alam besides other concerned officers.

The productive discussions cantered on leveraging the new central schemes and strengthening the existing programs to create a more robust skill ecosystem in J&K.

The Union Secretary provided a comprehensive overview of the newly launched Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at modernizing the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the nation. He said that this innovative scheme would operate on a Hub and Spoke model with identified Centres of Excellence (CoEs) serving as the central hubs. He encouraged the UT to actively participate in this scheme and submit detailed proposals to harness its benefits for modernization of ITIs in the region.

The Union Secretary highlighted the considerable scope for J&K to enhance its engagement in other crucial Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE) and Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP). He reiterated the Ministry’s unwavering commitment towards providing full support to J&K in maximizing the uptake of these vital programs.

The Chief Secretary, on his part, underscored the critical need for a holistic vision for skill development in the UT to tide over the problem of unemployment. He emphasized the importance of seamlessly linking skill acquisition with sustainable livelihood opportunities and integrating education with entrepreneurship to foster a dynamic and self-reliant workforce. Efforts will also be made to strengthen the convergence between various Centrally Sponsored Schemes to ensure greater adoption and more impactful outcomes for J&K, he added.

Among the key components discussed in the meeting included prioritizing submission of detailed proposals for modernization of J&K ITIs under the new Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Moreover, it was decided that the J&K government and the MSDE will establish a joint coordination mechanism to ensure efficient implementation and rigorous monitoring of all skill development initiatives in the UT. This collaborative effort between the J&K government and the Union Ministry for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship is expected to significantly boost skill development, create new employment avenues and foster an entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of J&K in the times to come.