5-Jun-2019: Fee waiver for SC, ST candidates joining vocational training under Jan Shikshan Sansthans

With an aim to further strengthen the skill ecosystem benefiting those in the underprivileged sections of society, Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey has announced a fee waiver for SC, ST candidates, who join vocational training under Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS).

This decision follows the recent comprehensive reforms brought in January 2019 for Directorate of Jan Shikshan Sansthan (DJSS), which was formerly under the Ministry of Human Resources Development and transferred to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in 2018.

The JSSs which operate under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship are established to provide vocational training to non-literate, neo-literate, as well as school dropouts by identifying skills as would have a market in the region of their establishment. JSSs have been categorised into three categories such as category A, B and C. Different quantum of assistance have been provided for each category.

24-Jan-2019: New reforms, guidelines to strengthen Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)

In a bid to boost skill training and entrepreneurship in the remotest corners of the country, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Petroleum and Natural Gas (MSDE) announced comprehensive reforms for Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), to further strengthen the skills ecosystem benefiting those in the underprivileged sections of society.

The emergence of the rural industry as an important growth engine for the economy makes it an imperative for us to stress on skilling our youth in remote districts of the country. JSSs can play an important role in bridging information asymmetry between skill training and market opportunities thereby giving an impetus to the creation of a workforce equipped in technology-driven skills, including in areas like health & wellness, tourism, e-commerce, retail and trade. JSS guidelines have been reformed keeping in mind the diverse stakeholders engaged in running these institutions, and will bring in greater flexibility, transparency and uniformity.

Formerly under the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Jan Shikshan Sansthan has been transferred to the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship in 2018. Today’s conference saw the release of new guidelines, aligning the JSSs to the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). This marks an important step towards the convergence of all skilling activities under the aegis of one ministry, bringing in transparency and accountability to the entire skilling ecosystem.

Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) has been instrumental in skill training and introducing avenues of entrepreneurship among the socio-economically backward and educationally disadvantaged groups such as neo-literates, semi-literates, SCs, STs, women and girls, slum dwellers, migrant workers. By bringing them under the aegis of the national skill framework, the agenda of today’s event was to align all skilling activities to a common cause of skill development at the district and gram level.

A skilled society is an essential precondition for achieving social and economic advancement for any country. The re-energised JSS form a unique position for themselves and I am certain that their convergence under Skill India will help bring in a mindset shift amongst our rural youth, to make vocational education and technical training as a preferred career choice. Skilling will not only make them independent but will also help in arresting migration from rural areas to already choked metros.

Today, out of the 247 active JSS, we already have 43 JSSs established across 42 Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog and we will soon be introducing a few more in the LWE regions to promote skill development of the youth in the region and help them connect back into mainstream economy. I am positive of the change that the JSS will bring to the ecosystem.

Release of New Guidelines:

The launch of these strategic guidelines is an attempt by the MSDE to re-energize and reinvigorate the Jan Shikshan Sansthans. By aligning JSSs to the National Skill Framework, the Government aims to provide standardised training across sectors.

Key highlights of the guidelines are:

Alignment of JSS course and curriculum to National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) to standardize training.

Decentralization of powers for JSSs - giving more accountability and independence to district administration.

To identify and promote traditional skills in the district through skilling / upskilling.

Evidence based assessment system.

Easy Online certification.

Linking JSS to PFMS (Public Finance Management system) maintaining transparency and accountability of the ecosystem.

Creating livelihood linkages.

Training of Trainers to develop the capacity through NSTIs (National Skills Training Institutes).

JSS portal launch: The Ministry also announced the launch of a new website (www.jss.gov.in); which will furnish information on action plans, database of beneficiaries and stakeholders, details of finance and expenditure and other ongoing developments along with a public log-in access.

Blended Training System: Today’s conference also saw the pilot launch of Amrita University’s Blended Training System at Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSSs) with e-content entailing selected skill courses. This is a comprehensive ICT -based platform that provides numerous benefits for trainees and trainers.

Additional Announcement: MoU with NACER

MSDE and NSDC signed a MoU with NACER, the apex body for Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) under MoRD. The objective of this collaboration is to provide skilled PMKVY candidates from PMKKs for the 10-day residential Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) at RSETIs. RSETIs shall also support the candidates to access loans through credit linkages with public sector banks and also provide two-year mentorship support to the candidates. NACER has a strong institutional set up and also provides two-year mentorship to the candidate post loan linkage & Successful record for availing credit from banks

An Overview of Jan Shikshan Sansthan:

Currently, there are 247 JSSs working across the country towards making skilling and entrepreneurship benefits accessible to the underprivileged and are imparting vocational skill training programmes to beneficiaries at their doorstep.

In the past five years, over eight lakh people have benefitted from the JSS scheme. More than 86,000 men have been registered. More importantly, and what is a very encouraging sign, there has been an unprecedented surge in the registration of women, with over 7 lakh registrations.

JSSs have helped open over 1 lakh bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) and mobilized around 7.5 lakh beneficiaries who were enrolled in Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). With a substantial rise in establishment of more than 1 lakh entrepreneurs, JSS has successfully generated employment across various sectors. Earlier known as Shramik Vidyapeeth and later renamed Jan Shikshan Sansthan in April 2000, the scheme has been successfully working for the past 50 years.

27-Feb-2019: Yuva Sahakar, launched in November 2018 is giving wings to young entrepreneurs in cooperatives

Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh has said that National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has played a crucial role in promoting cooperative development in the country by progressively shaping its financial schemes and programmes for benefitting farmers through cooperatives.

Speaking on the occasion of  84th General Council meeting of NCDC today, he said that the Corporation during the current financial year 2018-19 has already achieved an all-time high release of over ₹25,000 crore which is 210% of the current year target. It has registered a remarkable increase of around 222% in disbursements in last five years (2014-15 to 2018-19) as compared to previous five years (2009-10 to 2013-14). It is a matter of pride that net NPA of the Corporation is maintained at ‘Zero’ with recovery rate being over 98%.

The NCDC has been proactive in delivering innovative solutions for the cooperative sector. NCDC’s new scheme ‘Yuva Sahakar’ was launched in November 2018 for giving wings to young entrepreneurs in cooperatives. Newly formed cooperatives will be able to take advantage of the ‘Cooperative Start up and Innovation Fund’ created by NCDC with liberalized assistance for cooperatives in the North Eastern Region, Cooperatives registered and operating in Aspirational Districts, cooperatives with 100% women/SC/ST/Person with Disability (PwD) members.

The New Agriculture Export Policy has been announced by the government. As part of the initiative, NCDC and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) have identified common areas of cooperation and entered into an MoU. This collaboration will facilitate in providing better value to the stakeholders in Agri and allied sectors through a variety of activities including focus on export in line with the policies of the Government.

The Minister informed that the NCDC is organizing a first of its kind ‘India International Cooperative Trade Fair’ in October, 2019 in New Delhi.  The Cooperative Trade Fair will provide platform for sale, market, product display, conferences, buyer-seller meet, networking, policy advocacy etc. to national and international cooperatives and related institutions.

14-Nov-2018: NCDC’s new scheme to promote young entrepreneurs in cooperatives

To cater to the needs and aspirations of the youth, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has come up with a youth-friendly scheme ‘Yuva Sahakar-Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme” for attracting them to cooperative business ventures.

“NCDC has created a dedicated fund with liberal features enabling youth to avail the scheme,” Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh said at the launch of the scheme.

The Central Government has been encouraging ‘Start-Ups’ for ease of doing business, non-conventional opportunities are emerging and are being encouraged. The conducive environment is being leveraged by private and corporate sectors and ‘Hub Start-ups’ are being promoted. The newly launched scheme would encourage cooperatives to venture into new and innovative areas.

The scheme will be linked to Rs 1000 crore ‘Cooperative Start-up and Innovation Fund (CSIF)’ created by the NCDC. It would have more incentives for cooperatives of North Eastern region, Aspirational Districts and cooperatives with women or SC or ST or PwD members. The funding for the project will be up to 80% of the project cost for these special categories as against 70% for others. The scheme envisages 2% less than the applicable rate of interest on term loan for the project cost up to Rs 3 crore including 2 years moratorium on payment of principal. All types of cooperatives in operation for at least one year are eligible.

The Minister explained that this scheme is expected to meet the needs of today’s youth. He added that NCDC, being the most preferred financial institution in the world of cooperatives, has embarked on Sahakar 22, a Mission for Doubling Farmers’ Income by 2022.

The Minister while complimenting the NCDC on its remarkable performance since 2014 stated that  the NCDC had an excellent track record and would provide the required handholding for making the scheme a success.

The NCDC has the unique distinction of being the sole statutory organisation functioning as an apex financial and developmental institution exclusively devoted to cooperative sector. It supports cooperatives in diverse fields apart from agriculture and allied sectors. It is an ISO 9001:2015 compliant organisation and has a distinctive edge of competitive financing. It has extended financial assistance of Rs 63702.61 crore during 2014-2018 (as on November 13), 220% more than Rs 19850.6 during 2010-14.