The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) reviewed the progress of its World Bank–assisted programme “Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP)” at the first meeting of its Program Governance Board.
Key Participants
The meeting was chaired by:
- Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
- Shri Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
Senior officials from MSDE and representatives from six other Ministries also attended the meeting.
Programme Status & Progress
- All 36 States and Union Territories have given consent to participate in SANKALP.
- First-year grants have been released to 9 States:
- Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh
- Additionally, ₹10 lakh each has been released to 117 Aspirational Districts under the Aspirational Skilling Abhiyaan.
- A dedicated digital platform, the Skill India Portal, has been developed to integrate and manage skilling data.
Key Observations & Recommendations
From Union Minister Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey:
- Need to strengthen district-level skilling ecosystems.
- Improve youth awareness and perception of skill development.
- District Skill Committees (DSCs) should actively guide and counsel youth.
- MPs should be involved in reviewing skilling performance at the district level.
- Greater focus required on training of trainers to improve ecosystem quality.
From MoS Shri Raj Kumar Singh:
- Skill training centres must have quality infrastructure.
- Certification should carry strong credibility and value in the job market.
- SANKALP should help converge multiple skilling schemes across ministries.
- Emphasis on demand mapping of skills across sectors and regions.
About SANKALP
SANKALP is a centrally sponsored, outcome-oriented programme of MSDE with World Bank support. It focuses on strengthening India’s skilling ecosystem through:
- Institutional strengthening at national, state, and district levels
- Quality assurance in skill development programmes
- Inclusion of marginalised groups
- Expansion of skills through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
It is aligned with the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).
