Over 40K youths in Manipur trained under MSDE: Centre
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 18 2025: Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneur ship Jayant Chaudhary informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 40,681 candidates in Manipur have been trained under various schemes of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) between 2023-24 and June 30, 2025.He said that its existing schemes under the Skill India Mission are open to all sections of society, including those displaced in Manipur, but did not announce any programme specifically designed for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in relief camps since the outbreak of the crisis in May 2023.Responding to a question raised in the Lok Sabha by Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam on Monday, the minister said that the Skill India Mission delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training across the country, including Manipur, through schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sans-than (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).

He added that the mission aims to equip youth with industry-relevant skills that make them "future ready".

Between 2023-24 and June 30, 2025, a total of 24,523 individuals have been trained under PMKVY, 14,416 under JSS, 210 under NAPS, and 1,532 under CTS (as per enrolment in sessions 2023 to 2024).Under PMKVY, short-term training and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are provided, while JSS focuses on vocational training for non-literates, school dropouts and marginalised groups, with priority for women, SC, ST, OBC and minorities in both rural and urban low-income areas.

NAPS encourages industries to take in apprentices through financial support for stipends, and CTS provides long-term courses through ITIs across economic sectors.

The minister said that candidates trained under the programmes have also been connected to employers through the Skill India Digital Hub, a unified platform integrating skilling, education, employment and entrepreneurship.

The minister also pointed to wider initiatives undertaken by the government to build an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

These include programmes such as Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), the Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries, the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme, and the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises.

He said the Startup India initiative is also playing a key role in supporting entrepreneurs, with schemes like the Fund of Funds for Startups, the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme and the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups extending support at different stages of business development.

The ministry has also been working through institutions such as National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development in Noida and the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship in Guwahati to conduct Entrepreneurship Awareness and Development Programmes.

These cover the entire country, including the northeastern region and aspirational districts.

The minister further informed that in February 2025, the government launched Swavalambini, a women's entrepreneurship programme, in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform of NITI Aayog.

The programme aims to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets among female students through awareness and development programmes.

He added that employment linkages are being created through Rozgar Melas and Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Melas to connect trained candidates with jobs and apprenticeships.

While the minister's reply did not confirm any tailor-made programmes exclusively for those displaced in Manipur, it maintained that all beneficiaries in the state, including those in relief camps, are covered under the broader umbrella of Skill India Mission schemes and related entrepreneurship initiatives.

The issue was raised by Dr Bimol in the Lok Sabha amid growing concerns over the long-term livelihood challenges facing IDPs in Manipur, where thousands remain in camps more than two years after violence first erupted.

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