National Action Plan for Skill Training of Persons with Disabilities

National Action Plan for Skill Training of Persons with Disabilities

Question - Skill development is the key to improving employability of disabled persons. Outline the National Action Plan for Skill Training of Persons with Disabilities.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the National Action Plan for Skill Training of Persons with Disabilities.

• Through this plan, the government aims at holistic empowerment of disabled persons through the measures of: Education, Rehabilitation, Skill Development and Employment

• This plan is a partnership between the MSDE/Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability

• This plan is for skill development of 2.5 million persons with disability over 7 years

• India has also taken the step of promoting and establishing the first Indian Open Paralympics Games 2015 for promoting the skills of differently abled community in sports

• Skill development is a major step forward as only 2% of the workforce in India is currently possessing adequate skills to make the transition to skilled jobs

• Sector Skill Council for PWDs have been scaled up with Quality Standards for reaching the level required by the industry

• MSDE has taken the initiative to contribute INR 100 crore to this initiative

• National Skill Development Corporation/NSDC is the implementing agency for this National Action Plan

• This scheme is an endeavour by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to promote the career advancement of differently abled persons

• Cooperative actions are needed at the end of the state government from the perspective of the central government enabling people to get access to skills for enhancing employability and productivity

• MoU has been established for the implementation of the National Action Plan

• Launch of this plan was also complemented with experience sharing, interactions associated with effective paradigms of skill development, pedagogy and outreach to rural areas as well as online training and funding

• Stakeholders and experts have also discussed how private sector involvement in skill development of persons with disabilities can be enhanced

• Ministries and departments associated persons with disabilities will also undergo standardisation and synergisation for meeting targets of skill development, training and employability

Facts and Stats

• As per the census 2011, around 2.68 crore persons with disability in the nation.

• Around 1.34 crore persons with disabilities are currently in employable ages of 15-59 years

• National Action Plan is a framework for disabled persons to access enhanced vocational training and employment opportunities with the goal of promoting livelihood and economic independence

• This plan involves use of IT for content, training and employer connect

• Goals of empowering and strengthening persons with disabilities to access better economic opportunities embody the National Action Plan

• Innovative initiatives will be developed and used by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

• The national conference will be followed by regional level workshops with attended by stakeholders including NGOs, NPOs, private and public sector undertakings as well as training partners

• UN Report: Unemployment rate among persons with disabilities is double that of the general population and as high as 80% in the Asia Pacific region