Utkarsh Bangla – Flagship Scheme for Skill Development
Technical Education and Training, Utkarsh Bangla
Government of West Bengal
Department of Technical Education & Training
Establishment Branch
Karighari Bhawan
B/7, Action Area-III, New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata-160.
No. 211-TET(Estt.)/2E-07/2016 Dated, Kolkata, the 16th February, 2016
NOTIFICATION
Various Departments/ Organizations of the Government of West Bengal have been carrying out interventions in the field of Skill Development for some time. As the Government of West Bengal has taken an integrated approach to Skill Development in the State leading to sustainable gainful employment, the West Bengal Skill Development Mission (WBSDM) with the Hon’ble Chief Minister in the chair has been set up for policy direction. Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development (PBSSD) has subsequently been formed under the chair of Chief Secretary, West Bengal as the implementing arm of the Mission.
One of the primary aims of the PBSSD has been to ensure standardization and uniformity in the Curricula/ Course Content, Training Duration, Assessment and Certification procedures, Training Costs and other related aspects as well as the implementation methodology of various Skill Development Schemes being implemented by different Government Departments/ Organizations in the State. By now, the Government through PBSSD as, inter alia, introduced uniformity in the various aspects of the non-institutional Skill Development interventions being made by various state Government agencies in West Bengal.
While the State has in place a robust system to ensure institutional skilling interventions through Polytechnics, ITIs etc., non-institutional short term interventions with Pan India certifications are emerging as increasingly relevant to the skilling needs of the State considering the inherent flexibility in terms of location, number of hours of training as well as engagement hours resulting in greater acceptability. (https://skinnyninjamom.com) Accordingly, introduction of a Flagship Scheme for the entire non-institutional, non-project mode, short term Skill Development interventions to provide wage/ self-employment linked skills training to the residents of the State, integrating all Skill Development interventions at the State level, had been under consideration of the Government for some time past.
The Governor is now pleased to introduce “Utkarsh Bangla”, as annexed, the Flagship Scheme for the entire non-institutional, non-project mode, short term Skill Development interventions to provide wage/ self-employment linked skills training to the residents of the State of West Bengal with immediate effect with the objective of skilling individuals to empower them to engage in wage employment or self-employment leading to improved livelihood through increased earnings, and/or improved working conditions, and/or opportunities to move from informal to formal work sectors.
The PBSSD shall be the implementing agency of the scheme with assistance from the Technical Education and Training Department. PBSSD shall be assisted by its agencies in the form of the District Project Management Units (DPMUs) at the District level, headed by the District Magistrate, which shall in turn be supported by Sub-Divisional Project Management Units (SDPMUs) at Sub-Divisional level under the SDOs. The PBSSD may also, by notification, utilize the services of other Government agencies at the State, District and Sub-District level in furtherance of the aims and objectives of the scheme.
The funds available with various Departments/ Bodies/ Agencies for carrying out Skill Development intervention shall be pooled with the PBSSD and utilized by the PBSSD in conformity with the guidelines of the scheme for defraying the training costs. The Technical Education & Training Department, in consultation with the Finance Department, shall notify the structure and operating procedures in this connection.
Important features of the schemes are as follows:
- 70% placement/ self-employment out of which 50% wage-based employment has been guaranteed under the scheme for the trainees after completion of the training; and,
- Assessment and Certification will be done by the West Bengal State Council of Technical and Vocational Education and Skill Development, a Statutory Body under the Technical Education & Training Department.
This order issues with the approval of the Finance Department vide their U.O. No. Gr. T/2015-2016/0875 dated 27/01/2016.
By order of the Governor,
Principal Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal