Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; and Ministry of Electronics and IT, virtually launched a pilot project for upskilling 4,000 cane and bamboo artisans of Nagaland under the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), component of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) on Tuesday.
Launching the initiative, Chandrasekhar said that traditional techniques of craft and artwork are a significant part of India’s rich heritage and there is an urgent need to preserve these skills.
"It is the vision of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create the right synergies and build infrastructure for the country’s youth, from North to South and from East to West. It is an article of faith for him that the future of India will be defined by the efforts, energy, and success of our youth population including the 4100 artisans who are going to be trained in Dimapur," he said.
The ministry stated in a release that the objective of this initiative is to upskill the local weavers and artisans to enhance their productivity through RPL assessment and certification in traditional handicrafts. It is expected to improve the competencies of the unorganized workforce existing in the geography. The artisans and weavers will be aligned with the standardized National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), it stated.
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The project will provide access to existing artisans and weavers to sustain their livelihoods and enhance their skills, and technical knowledge. Additionally, the pilot project will augment the marketing skills and techniques, promoting traditional and local crafts of cane and bamboo artisans. The initiative will add value to the traditional handicrafts through Upskilling Bridge Module through Government of India certification, the ministry stated.
Under the initiative, each batch will run for 12 days with 12 hours orientation and 60 hours Bridge Module. Further, after the orientation programme along with the Bridge Module, the artisans and weavers shall be certified with the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Type-1. The training delivery partners for the upskilling initiative are Cane Concept and Handloom Naga, the ministry added.
Chandrasekhar also stated, "Skilling the youth is an important mission for us and that is why we have gathered here to launch this event that trains and motivates artisans".
He shared that during his visit to Nagaland in September, he realised the potential that the region has and its role in economic progression. This prompted the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to come up with this programme in a bid to meet the economic aspirations of the local youth and take them on the path of development, he added.
The ministry stated that the project will be implemented in different phases including selection of artisans and weavers, Training of Trainers (ToT), and upskilling of artisans and weavers through RPL with Bridge Module. The artisans and weavers will be trained in innovative and upgraded techniques of making handmade products. Post training all the artisans and weavers will work in micro units which are set-up in their respective clusters. The National Skill Development Corporation will monitor the day-to-day progress of the project.The project will also be backed by industry participation which is vital for the successful implementation of this project and the ongoing support. The industry will be supporting in areas like training of 150 trainers, infrastructure, providing raw material and promotion of crafts in domestic and international markets.
This initiative aims at industry and market linkages, encouraging micro-entrepreneurship, the ministry added.
