Union Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Atul Kumar Tiwari, chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat to review the implementation of key skilling initiatives including PM Vishwakarma, PMKVY, SANKALP, and STRIVE across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting brought together senior officials from J&K Skill Development Department, NCVT, education institutions like SKUAST Jammu and Kashmir, IUST, Jammu University, NIT Srinagar, and representatives from Tourism, Handicrafts, Handloom, Industries, Commerce, and Education departments.
Tiwari emphasized aligning training programs with local economic strengths and emerging industry needs. He urged conducting short-term courses via NIT Srinagar to equip youth with relevant skills and called on higher education institutions to leverage government skilling schemes to enhance college students’ employability, in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
Focusing on PM Vishwakarma centres, he stressed revamping underperforming units to preserve and promote J&K’s artisanal heritage. The Secretary also highlighted the importance of maximizing schemes in hospitality and tourism, sectors with significant growth potential in the region.
Appreciating the State Development Department (SDD) for the strong performance of ITIs and polytechnics, Tiwari encouraged continued efforts towards demand-driven and outcome-oriented skilling.
Secretary SDD Kumar Rajeev Ranjan presented an overview of the Holistic Skill Development Plan (HSDP), shared progress updates, and outlined future plans to expand training outreach, improve quality, and strengthen employment linkages across Jammu and Kashmir.