Addressing a National Workshop on “Cooperatives as a Partner in Skill Development for Employment Generation” organized by NCUI in Delhi, Manish Kumar, MD of the National Skill Development Corporation said his organization looks forward to working together with cooperatives in various skill development schemes of Government of India. Cooperatives can be trusted as effective partners, he underlined.
The workshop was attended by top representatives of national skill development organizations like NSDA, NIESBUD, ASCI, and cooperative organizations like IFFCO, NAFED, IFFDC, etc.
In his remarks Manish Kumar recalled that through skilling of SHGs of women in North East, the problem of insurgency was tackled. He said the impact of skill development programs have to reach out to the rural areas, for which cooperative is the best medium.
Speaking on the occasion, K. Narayan, M.D., National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation said NBCFDC can organize skill-based training programs for SC/ST categories of people working in cooperative organizations.
In his speech on the occasion, Dr. Vandana Aggarwal, DG, National Skill Development Agency said cooperatives have an edge in employment generation. She further said cooperatives because of their community-based orientation and huge network are ideal to play an important role in skill development. She added that cooperatives can help in acting as advocacy agents for skill development programs.
Dr. Poonam Sinha, Director, NIESBUD said entrepreneurship development programs of NIESBUD, cooperatives have many opportunities. She informed that NIESBUD and Tata Institute of Social Science are engaged in development of training curriculum for women entrepreneurs.
Mr. Raveendram Kasthuri, Group CEO, Uralangul Labour Contract Cooperative Society highlighted the skill development initiatives of Uralangul Labour Contract Cooperative Society Emphasising that re-skilling of the people is equally important as skilling, he emphasized the need for youth to be attracted to cooperative societies so that they can be skilled in various professions.
S.P. Singh, Managing Director, IFFDC highlighted the need for training of primary forest development cooperative societies in the country in various skills for which he sought the support of National Skill Development Corporation.
Several other dignitaries who addressed the workshop included Raj Kumar, Manager, Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI), Raghunath Kashyap, President, HARCOFED and Sanjay. Singh, OSD, M.P. State Cooperative Union. S.K. Singh, Additional M.D., NAFED was also attended the workshop.
Earlier in his remarks on the occasion, N. Sayta Narayana, Chief Executive, NCUI had underscored the need for cooperatives to work as effective partners in skill development. He also threw light on skill development programs being undertaken in NCUI.
The program was coordinated by Sanjay Verma, Dy. Director, NCUI.
