Our Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi averred, “If we have to promote the development of our country, then our mission has to be skill development and skilled India. Millions of Indian youth should go for acquisition of skills and there should be a network across the country for this and not the archaic systems.” Keeping this thought in mind, after campaigns like ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’ Narendra Modi has launched a new programme called ‘Skill India’. This is a multi-skill programme exclusively launched and designed for the youth of our country to usher multiple job opportunities and prevent brain drain form our country.

On the occasion of National Youth Day we will delve deep into the importance and relevance of skill development. India since its inception has been struggling with issues of unemployment and poverty that go hand in hand in our nation. Today according to the Labour Ministry report on Youth Employment-unemployment scenario, it is found that the unemployment rate is 13.3% for the age group 15-29. The report further observed that “people are actually overqualified for the job they are doing and therefore society is losing their valuable skills and forfeiting stronger productivity growth that would have been achieved”.

Therefore it can be clearly stated that Modi’s ‘Skill India’ programme is indeed the need of the hour. Where 1 out of every 3 individual in the age group of 5-29, who have completed at least their graduation are found to be unemployed, vocation training and skill development is the only medium by which the youth can be empowered and unemployment and poverty can be kept at a bay. ‘Skill India’ aims at providing skill development to 40.02 crore youth of India by 2022, covering every Indian village for which various training programmes and schemes have already been proposed.

What’s new in ‘Skill India’?

In order to guarantee skill and trained manpower Skill India programme unlike the earlier skill development policies where stress was given only to traditional jobs, promises equal emphasis to all kinds of jobs. Earlier, the responsibility was divided among various ministries, but this time all ministries are clubbed together for a greater success of the programme. Not only that, even corporate educational institutions, Government and non-Government set ups are expected to contribute considerably leading to greater youth development in the shortest time possible. Under this programme even jobless and dropouts will be given value addition by providing certificates that will be recognised by private and public agencies including overseas organisations after successful completion of a particular skill development programme.

Advantages of ‘Skill India’:

• Increased employment
• Raise confidence among the youth
• Improve productivity and knowledge
• Enable youth to get blue-collar jobs
• Development of skills at school level
• Balanced growth in all sectors
• Equal importance to all jobs
• Compulsory soft skill training for every job aspirant
• To touch base with rural and remote India

On a comprehensive note ‘Skill India’ is by far one of the best initiatives the Government has taken. Providing vocational and soft skills training to youths of India that has the highest demographic dividend is indeed a noble and judicious undertaking. If this programme succeeds then India will definitely have 40.02 crore trained workforce by 2022.

Focusing on programmes for a skilled India, Akshaya Patra works in partnership with the Government of India to enhance the skills of the workforce involved in the mid-day meal programme.

The organisation also conducts massive training for number of cook-cum-helpers of Mid-Day Meals Programme, across India; in association with Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

Akshaya Patra believes that skilful people means a ‘skilled India’ and it is committed to participate in all initiatives that cater to developing ‘Skilled India’.

The Global Hunger Report released this year came out with an unexpected result about the malnutrition levels in India. The country which will soon have smart cities and has fourth highest number of billionaires in the world is ranked at 100 out of the 119 countries that were surveyed.

The Telegraph, a newspaper published from Kolkata, quotes Pramod Kumar Joshi, agricultural economist and IFPRI South Asia director, where he says, “Despite a massive scale-up of national nutrition-focused programmes, drought and structural deficiencies have left large numbers of poor in India at risk of malnourishment.”

The number is more shocking because all our neighbouring countries are ranked before us, except Pakistan which is ranked 106. India shares its ranking with Rwanda in East Africa.

Global Hunger Index

It is a multidimensional statistical tool which determines hunger situation in various countries. It is updated every year.

It is generated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and was first published in 2006. The international agricultural research center conducts a stringent survey before coming up with this report. With ranking, the report every year focuses on one topic. The topic for 2017 is around inequality and hunger.

Role of Akshaya Patra

The Akshaya Patra Foundation runs the largest NGO-run mid-day meal programme. It has been working with a mission to ensure that no child in India is deprived of education due to hunger. From our 34 kitchens locate in 32 locations across India, over 1.6 million children get their school lunch. The dishes are prepared in a way that the meal meets the nutritional guidelines prescribed by the Government under Mid Day Meals Programme. The programme has been running successfully with support from State and Central Government.

At Akshaya Patra, we continuously leverage technology in our state-of-the-art kitchens. These kitchens have become a subject of study. They attract curious visitors from around the world.

The food supplied from these kitchens ensure that the children get healthy meal once in a day. This ensures that they become healthy. Be a part of the change. Contribute with The Akshaya Patra Foundation to ensure that our future generation grows up to be healthy and well-educated.

Donate to feed the children and make a hunger free nation.