In an attempt to bridge the skill-gap in utilisation of new-age technologies, the Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved a new scheme – Nutana Unnata Abhilasha (NUA) Odisha – with an outlay of ₹385 crore.
Under the NUA Odisha scheme, one lakh youth will be skilled every year over next three years. “The scheme will work towards addressing the scarcity of skilled human resources in emerging trades by offering high-quality training, fostering industry linkages, and enhancing employability skills,” the government said in a statement.
It would also to bridge the skill-gap in utilisation of new-age technologies in traditional sectors including handicraft, handloom and agriculture sectors.
“Offerings will include fresh skilling for youths, add-on-courses for existing students, digital and e-courses for youths in higher educational institutions and employability skills for students in various institutions,” said the government.
Skilling, re-skilling, and upskilling opportunities will be provided through skilling institutions such as industrial training institutes, polytechnic, government skilling institutions, educational Institutions, clusters such as agriculture and craft in 30 districts.
As per Cabinet note, credible programme implementing agencies comprising reputed industries and training providers and industry associations will be onboarded to deliver the skilling programmes through an enabling policy framework based on differential and incentive-based approach.
This was not Odisha’s first attempt to skill students and youths. Odisha had created an authority in the name of Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA) in 2016-17, giving high priority to skill development.
Besides, the State government claimed that it had been consistently ranked among top in implementation of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), a Union government programme.
The State Cabinet had also approved has approved the scheme to open “CSP (customer service points) Plus” banking outlets in coordination with six public sector banks in 4,373 unbanked Gram Panchayats (GP) of the State with budgetary support of around ₹500 crore.
“Financial inclusion is a high priority agenda of the Government. For Odisha, financial inclusion is still a critical challenge since banking penetration in the State is quite low. Out of the 6,798 GPs, around 65% of the GPs (4,373 GPs) do not have brick and mortar branches,” said the government.
“Since banking is an essential service for financial inclusion, every gram panchayat of the State needs to be provided with a brick and mortar branch for uninterrupted banking services. However, the progress in terms of setting up brick and mortar branches in unbanked gram panchayats by banks is very slow and negligible,” said the Cabinet note says.
Now, the Odisha government had come forward with an ambitious target of providing banking services to every GP through CSP Plus banking outlets.
“The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner to cover all 4373 unbanked GPs in the State for providing banking services through CSP Plus banking outlets with in the current financial year 2023-24. Government of Odisha will provide rent free banking space for 5 years. In addition to this, the government will also bear onetime expenses for fixed cost and recurring expenses for a period of three years,” it said.
