Ministry of Textiles is implementing the Samarth-Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector, a placement oriented programme targeting skill development of 10 lakh youth in the entire value chain of textiles, excluding Spinning & Weaving in the organized Sector.

Key Features of the Samarth Scheme

    • The new scheme has been designed to offer benefit to each of the youth who is willing to get started with his career within the Textile Industry. The government has announced to make a selection of 10 lakh youths for training under this scheme by 2017-20.

    • The central government has also announced the set budget that will be used for implementation of the scheme within the Textile sector. Once the training has been commenced then over 70 percent of the youths will also be placed for employment within the Textile sector itself by the government.

    • The set programme is also aimed at boosting the low performing textile sector within next few years and to gain its position in the exports market.

Advanced features of SAMARTH scheme are

    • Training of Trainers (ToT), 

    • Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS), 

    • CCTV recording of training programme, 

    • dedicated call centre with helpline number, 

    • mobile app based Management Information System (MIS) and 

    • on-line monitoring of the training process.

New initiatives

    • Under Samarth, 18 State Governments have been allocated a training target of 3.6 lakh beneficiaries for conducting training programme in traditional and organized sectors.

    • Sectoral Organizations of Ministry (DC-Handlooms, DC-Handicrafts, CSB & National Jute Board have been allocated a training target of 43,000 beneficiaries for skilling/up-skilling in traditional sectors.

    • Ministry initiated the process of empanelling industry/industry associations for undertaking industry oriented entry level skilling programmes in the organized sectors.

    • A total of 76 industries have been empanelled under Entry level skilling and allocated a training target of 1.36 lakh beneficiaries.

    • Also, 44 industries for upskilling programme have been empanelled and allocated training target of 30,000 beneficiaries. At present, 23 empanelled implementing partners have commenced the training programme under the scheme in 11 States.

    • The Government had approved the Samarth Scheme with a total outlay of Rs. 1300 crore.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)