Andhra Pradesh is the first state in the country to have a skill census. The process will identify and document the skills of individuals and provide them with appropriate training based on their identified skills to make them industry-ready.
The TDP government believes that the census will help the government understand the needs of the unemployed youth and also upskill them to make them more employable. It is aimed at increasing the overall efficiency of the workforce in the state.
Skill and will to labour -- hold the key in north east India
'Bolero culture' is the antithesis to a desired Skilled society
New Delhi
A change agent ought to have three basic qualities - being a visionary, an optimist and alsoa realist. Seldom these qualities are found in public leaders and this is one of the maladieswe face.Northeast India is no exception.One can easily say the Indian development story has been marred by ills of corruption and malgovernance.
Northeast India like the mainstream too has developed all these years but it’s not up to the potentials.
Not many leaders are spending time on these.
Far off in Andhra Pradesh, India's original 'CEO' and development man, N Chandrababu Naidu has comeout with a new move.His government has come out with a proposal to have a Skill Census.
In fact, his government has cleared the first stage about the same within daysNaidu returned as the Chief Minister.
The process seeks to identify and document the skills of individuals and provide them with appropriate training based on their identified skills to make them industry-ready.
This is all the more relevant as what has been thought as 'qualification' -- meaning certificates of academic performance - is now no longer the market requirements. It's a double edged and multi-edged issue in northeast including Nagaland because other than the government jobs nothing else is seen as scope for generating employment.Top of that, those who got jobs did not bother to work for the state and the people.
The refrain for long has been -- Well, I am born here, give me education, give me scholarship.stipends etc and because I am qualified, give me the job and if you give me the job allow me not to work and at the same time I should get all other perks including the envelopes those come under the table.
As a result we have encouraged a culture of nepotism suitably (read mischievously) backed by tribalism and other considerations - clan, khel, range etc.
The Rural-urban divide is the biggest problem in Nagaland today, especially among the youths. Talking about Skills has also become imperative as we have two types of youths.
One that is filthy rich or upper middle class who flaunt everything they have.
They are closely followed by lower middle class youths who easily strangulate peer finance.
The other type are those youths who seldom get any of these privileges, not even proper education and health care.
Authorities in Nagaland have to understand sooner than later that both these types of youths have no link in between. The rich and well to do families and youths have no knowledge of the poor and the marginalized.
Emphasis on Skill studies or a basic Skill census could help the government understand the needs of the unemployed youth and also up-skill them to make them more employable.
It can help at increasing the overall efficiency of the workforce in the state.
However, when we say these, there is a need for caution. Those in power must not rush to Delhi for 'extra financial assistance'. If some money comes from outside -- it is well and good.But essentially, the state government and elected MLAs should draw up plans for resource mobilisation from the existing budget only and then try to get the results.
It cannot be another excuse to seek extra funding from Delhi or Niti Aayong because in all likelihood nothing would come.
Pushing the Skill dynamism should also make Nagas realise the traditional potentials of their own culture and social practices. Every Naga is supposed to know certain basics of farming and gardening. This is almost becoming a vanishing art.
Electronic media, that is TV, was once very powerful. Today we have a far larger influence of social media and these all are contributing in murdering the Skills. How?
The TV and online shopping etc have created a system under which a Consumer society is being encouraged. So every house will have costly and 'designed' bookshelves but no good books in it. We have pushed a liking for brands and products most Indians and people in the north east cannot afford to consume.
The 'Bolero culture' is actually antithesis to what we may desire from a Skilled society.
Worse, not only the products are beyond the range of most Naga pockets; they are alsoalien to the Naga lifestyle.
Look at the impact of food habits -- Pizza, burgers and fried noodles and tandoori chicken and mutton masalas have hit people's health on an unthinkable scale.
Those from Nagaland - now residing outside Nagaland or northeast - know the market potentials of Naga food.
That's also a 'skill' provided there are youths who know how to work hard and especially female youths who can tap their entrepreneurship skills.
ends
Trips to Delhi by Ministers and bureaucrats particularly to lobby for additional funding is a waste of resources. Austerity measures are limited to paper work only.....as it is no longer Bolero Culture but upgraded to Innova/Fortuner Culture. -- Zhimomi !!
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