The skill development of the new generation is a national need and the foundation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It is India’s skilled workforce that helped in an effective battle against the pandemic said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Youth Skills Day and six years of Skill India Mission.
“While education tells us what to do, skill guides us in the actual operational implementation and this has been the guiding principle of Skill India Mission. So far more than 1.25 crore young persons have been trained under ‘Pradhanmantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna’,” said PM Modi.
Cultural link
He underlined the importance of skills in the Indian culture and stressed the link between the importance given to skill development and ‘up-skilling’ and progress of the society. PM Modi dwelt on the traditions of celebrating skills like Vijayadashmi, Akshya Tritiya and Vishvakarma Pujan where skills and the vocational implements are worshipped.
Citing these traditions, PM Modi called for due regard for skilled professionals such as carpenters, potters, metal workers, sanitation workers, horticulture workers and weavers. Due to long periods of slavery, importance of skills in our social and education system got diluted.
“Learning should not stop with earning. Only a skilled person will grow in today’s world. This is applicable to both people and countries.” He said that India providing smart and skilled man-power solutions to the world should be at the core of our strategy of skilling our youth.
Global skill mapping
Appreciating the step of global skill gap mapping, PM Modi urged the stakeholders to continuously Skill, Re-skill and up-skill. He said that this needs to be expedited as there is going to be a huge demand for re-skilling due to fast changing technology.
Referring to the vision of Babasaheb Ambedkar who placed great emphasis on skilling the weaker section. Modi said, “The nation is fulfilling this visionary dream of Babasaheb through Skill India Mission. For example, programs like 'Going Online As Leaders' -GOAL are helping tribal population with areas like art and culture, handicraft, textiles and digital literacy among tribal areas leading to entrepreneurship development among the tribal population. Similarly, Van Dhan Yojna is effectively connecting the tribal society with new opportunities. In the coming days, we need to make such campaigns more widespread and make ourselves and the country Aatmnirbhar through skilling”.