WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IS THE REAL POWER OF INDIA'S PROGRESS AND INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT: CHAUDHARY
Face2News/Chandigarh
"Kaushal Manthan - Regional Skill Ministers' Conference" was organised in Chandigarh today under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. The main theme of this conference was "National Scheme for ITI Upgradation and Establishment of National Centres of Excellence". Inspired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister's mantra of skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling, this conference was held under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Government of India, Shri Jayant Chaudhary.
The conference was attended by Skill Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior officers and policy makers from various states of North India. The conference was attended by State/UT Governments of Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Jayant Chaudhary said, “This conference will provide new direction to the ‘Skill India Mission’. ITI upgradation and establishment of centres of excellence will provide industry-oriented modern training to the youth, thereby providing them better employment opportunities. India will also play a leading role in the global skill economy.”
He further informed that “India had only 600 startups in 2014, but by 2025 this number has increased to over 1.5 lakh. This change shows that India’s youth power and skill development programmes together are taking the country forward into a new era of innovation and entrepreneurship.” Shri Chaudhary also said that “Half of India’s population is women, and they are actively participating in the economy. Today women constitute about 40% of the country’s workforce. This participation is the driving force of India’s progress and inclusive growth.”
Shri Jayant Chaudhary emphasized that the unwavering activism and dynamic resolve of India’s youth will serve as the cornerstone of the nation’s transformation into a leading global hub of skill and innovation. He further underlined that women’s participation constitutes the real power behind India’s progress and inclusive development, making them central to the country’s journey towards sustainable and equitable growth.
Mr. Chaudhary congratulated the Punjab Government and said that “seats in ITI institutes of Punjab are being fully filled, which is a positive sign and reflects the increasing interest of youth towards skill development.” Each state has its own uniqueness, but only through shared use of resources, alignment of strategies and making the industry an equal partner can we transform ITIs, empower youth and create an ecosystem where skills lead to employment, entrepreneurship and dignity of labour. Kaushal Manthan is not just a conference—it is a call for joint action to make skilling attractive and effective for a developed India@2047.”
He clarified that “The funds for the ITI Upgradation Scheme will be provided by the Central Government, but the states will be given full flexibility in its implementation. It will be a demand-based scheme, in which active participation of private partners, educational institutions and women will be ensured. Also, ITI students will be given apprenticeship opportunities and the government will pay the stipend for them. The scheme will be implemented in a cluster-based manner, so that best results can be achieved according to regional needs.”
He also informed that “Under the ITI Upgradation Scheme, about 4.5 lakh seats have been affiliated till 2024, which will provide quality training and employment-oriented education to more and more youth.”
On this occasion, Mr. Chaudhary congratulated the Punjab Government and said that “seats in ITI institutes of Punjab are being fully filled, which is a positive sign and reflects the increasing interest of youth towards skill development.” Each state has its own uniqueness, but only through shared use of resources, alignment of strategies and making the industry an equal partner can we transform ITIs, empower youth and create an ecosystem where skills lead to employment, entrepreneurship and dignity of labour. Kaushal Manthan is not just a conference—it is a call for joint action to make skilling attractive and effective for a developed India@2047.”
In his address, he also said that “skill development is not only the responsibility of the government but also of the youth of the country. The youth must actively be a part of this mission to establish India as a global skill hub.”
In conclusion, he called upon the state representatives to “share their views openly so that concrete and practical strategies can be prepared to successfully take this national scheme to the grassroots.”
The conference saw active participation from Shri Vikramjit Singh Sawhney, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Vice Chairman, National Apprenticeship and Sports, Skill Scheme and Entrepreneurship Policy Formulation; Shri Kapil Dev Agarwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Vocational Education and Skill Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Cabinet Minister, Industries, Food & Supplies, and Environment, Forest & Wildlife, Government of NCT of Delhi; Shri Krishan Kumar Vishnoi, Minister of State for Industries & Commerce and Sports & Youth Affairs, Employment & Entrepreneurship Policy Formulation, Government of Rajasthan; Shri Harjot Singh Bains, Cabinet Minister, Technical Education & Industrial Training, Higher Education and Language & School Education, Government of Punjab; Shri Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister, Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training, Government of Punjab; and Shri Rajesh Dharmani, Cabinet Minister, Technical Education, Vocational & Industrial Training, Government of Himachal Pradesh.
Through this platform, in-depth deliberations were held on further strengthening the skill development ecosystem of the country, promoting quality training standards and incorporating modern technologies in training. The program discussed in detail the 'National ITI Upgradation and National Centre of Excellence Scheme'. Under this scheme, National Skill Excellence Centers equipped with state-of-the-art facilities will be established across the country. These centers will not only provide advanced training but will also promote research, innovation and skill development in line with the requirements of the industry.
In the technical sessions organized in the conference, special discussions were also held on topics like digital learning platforms, skill standardization and training strategies in line with Industry 4.0.
The main focus of the conference was the recently approved ₹ 60,000 crore National ITI Upgradation Scheme and Establishment of Centre of Excellence Scheme, under which 1,000 government ITIs will be converted into world-class institutions through a hub-and-spoke model. This transformation will be led by industry-based special purpose vehicles (SPVs). Along with this scheme, major programs like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) were also discussed.