NEW DELHI: A new institution, Handicrafts & Carpet Sector Skill Council has been launched by Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (I/C) & Parliamentary Affairs yesterday. The institution will promote skill development among artisans, craft persons and workers at grassroots level. This would enable them to adopt latest techniques and become more productive.
While launching the Council, the Skill Development Minister highlighted the crucial role of skill development in national development. He pointed out that the percentage of our workforce that is skilled is very low as compared to that in China, UK, USA, Japan and Germany. The Minister said that this shows the great need for skill development in all sectors of the economy, so that India becomes competitive in production of good quality products. Skill India is necessary for the success of ‘Make In India’, Shri Rudy said. He added that the Government has taken up skill development as a mission, as an integral part of our national enterprise.
The Council has been launched at the 20th Handicrafts Export Awards Presentation Function yesterday. Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Textiles (I/C) presided over the function and distributed the Export awards. Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Member of Parliament, Shri S.K. Panda, Secretary (Textiles) and Shri S.K. Biswas, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) were also present during the ceremony. Luminaries from the industry, handicrafts exporters and the media too attended.