By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, OCT 23, 2017: TO bring momentum in skilling through collaborative efforts, the Union Home Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh along with Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mr Dharmendra Pradhan, here today inaugurated India's first Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) for Skilling in Smart Cities, in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The ministers also laid the foundation for a Skill Development Centre at Moti Bagh and a Centre of Excellence at Dharam Marg, New Delhi.

Affirming synergies with the Government of India's flagship programs, the new skill development centres underscore the commitment of the Ministry of Urban Affairs & Housing (MUHA) and the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to support skilling in smart cities. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), an executive arm of MSDE, has collaborated with New Delhi Municipal Council Smart City Limited (NDMCSCL) to extend cooperation for setting up of PMKK Centres for Smart Cities, to provide skill training for unemployed youth through its short-term training (STT) module and contribute to the capacity building of municipal employees through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program.

The event also had graceful presence of dignitaries such as Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, New Delhi; Mr Naresh Kumar, Chairman, NDMC; Mr Karan Singh Tanwar, Vice – Chairman, NDMC; Mr Surender Singh, MLA & Member, NDMC and other senior officials from MUHA, MSDE, NSDC and NDMC.

Inaugurating the skill development centres, Mr Rajnath Singh said, India which has the privilege of being a young nation, would gain from this demographic dividend to become a superpower and be amongst the top three counties in the world by 2030. The key to reach this milestone is by investing in our youth and making them skilled. Mr Rajnath Singh added, A skilled person gets respect, recognition and honor due to his hard work. I strongly believe that these skill development centres would aspire youth to take up vocational training to make themselves self-reliant.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan said, Collaboration is the need of the hour to support inclusive and sustainable development in the country. Today's event signifies integration and convergence approach towards Respected Prime Minister's two most ambitious projects – the Skill India Mission and the Smart City Mission. Skilled workforce is required for effective development of any big or small project. We aim for recognition and respect to this workforce through skill training.

Special Guest at the event Ms Meenakshi Lekhi, MP Lok Sabha said, I would like to applaud the efforts of both the ministries and its nodal agencies NSDC and NDMC for pioneering steps to bring in equitable growth and development. I am confident that such centers would deliver quality by extending access to trained youth, which would catalyse the creation of smart cities in the country.

President, NDMC Mr Naresh Kumar said, "National Skill Mission will prove to be a milestone for the developed India. NDMC supports inclusive development by introducing best practices in skilling and is determined to leave no stone unturned to achieve the mission.

The newly inaugurated Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra leverages NDMC infrastructure for skilling initiatives. Located at Mandir Marg, New Delhi, the NDMC-PMKK Centre for Skilling in Smart Cities is an exemplary heritage building of approx. 30,000 sq.ft., with a capacity of skilling 4,000 youth annually. Catering to healthcare and solar energy sectors, the centre will be managed by one of NSDC's affiliated training partners - Orion Edutech, which has an impeccable record of training nearly 3 lakh candidates through its network of over 275 skill development centres across the country. On this occasion, a solar-power lab powered by Schneider Electric was also inaugurated.