GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5087

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27

TH MARCH, 2018/ CHAITRA 6, 1940 (SAKA)

Free Vocational Training to Differently abled Person 

DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment  be pleased to state? 

(a) whether the Government is aware of the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (2014-15), to equip all polytechnic and vocational training centres with facilities for free vocational training to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs);

(b) if so, whether the Government would consider including a provision under the National Action Plan, 2015 to make it mandatory for all polytechnic and vocational training centres to provide free vocational training to PwDs;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER MINSTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT (SHRI KRISHNAPAL GURJAR)

(a) to (d) No, sir. The Government is not aware of any such recommendation. However, in order to provide free vocational training to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), launched a National Action Plan(NAP) for skill training of persons with disabilities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 21' March 2015, the details of which are given below in brief.

• The NAP plans to bring all the main stakeholders like various Central Government Ministries, State Governments, NGOs, PSUs and the Private Sector on one platform.

• A Scheme for implementation of NAP has been formulated. It is an outcome based scheme having a mandatory placement percentage.

• The vocational/skill training is provided by a network of Empanelled Training Partners(E'TPs) from Govt. and non-Govt. sector.

• The ETPs are selected by inviting Expression of Interest from skill development organizations all over India

• Financial assistance for implementation of NAP is provided under the scheme of S1PDA (Scheme for implementation of persons with disability Act, 2016).

• So far, 238 training partners have been empanelled. Out of these ETPs, 25 are Govt. organizations and 213 are other organizations.

• As on date, 69 Trades / Job roles have been provided to ETPs for skill training of PwDs.

• So far as financial norms are concerned, Common Norms notified by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship are applicable. The scheme provides training cost to the training partners and transport/conveyance cost, boarding/lodging cost & post-placement support to the trainees.

• There is also a provision for support of assistive device to the trainees. • Assessment and Certification of the persons provided skill training is done by Skill Council for Persons with Disabilities.
•••••

Relevance

The 15th Report of the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (2014-2015) presented to the Lok Sabha on 07.5.2015, had recommended ‘that all disabled persons should get access to free vocational training in the nearest possible polytechnic/vocational training centre so as to help them to attain livelihood skills by making them financially independent.’ When questioned in Parliament, the Ministry has responded by stating that it is unaware of such a recommendation.