Revision in the norms for the scheme ‘Special Industry Initiative Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir (Udaan)’

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the modification in the Scheme ‘Special Industry Initiative for Jammu & Kashmir’ (Udaan) to make it more flexible and relevant.  Within the overall central assistance of Rs.750 crore, the flexibility to appropriate the budget among different expense heads will be allowed. Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have now been allowed to participate in the scheme and will meet the expenses under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) head. It allows inclusion of three year engineering diploma holders in the scheme, reimbursement of fixed training cost after minimum three months employment, instead of one year employment, provision of medical/accident insurance, etc.  Under the scheme, 40,000 youth will be trained in five years. Companies which show interest in the scheme and enter into the agreement with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), will screen and select students from the State. After assessing the skill gap of the trainees, a training module, its duration and nature of training will be designed by the companies. Trainees will be relocated to the training facility. After completion of the training, they will be interviewed for a job with the company and will be placed as far as possible.  The scheme targets youth who are educated, but do not have marketable skills. It includes graduates, postgraduates, three year engineering diploma holders and youth with professional degrees. This talent pool in the absence of job opportunities becomes highly alienated and their potential in turning around the state economy is wasted. The scheme will facilitate gainful employment to the youth of Jammu & Kashmir. By providing them jobs, the scheme proposes to channelize their energies into creative pursuits.