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1.7
A
According to Sachar Committee Recommendations, the country is going through a high growth phase. This is a time to help the underprivileged to utilize new opportunity through Skill development and education. A large segment of the Muslim community is engaged in self-employment activities. Besides, a significant proportion, especially women, is actually engaged in home-based work. While some of these workers are engaged in sectors that have experienced growth, many are engaged in occupations/sectors that are stagnant. The policy intervention needs to help workers engaged in growthoriented sectors to become part of the larger network of market oriented firms engaged in that sector. For those caught in the stagnant sectors, a transition path will have to be evolved. Skill upgradation, education and credit availability, will have an important role
in both these strategies. 1.8 National Skill Development Policy envisages that the skills and knowledge are
the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. Countries with higher and better levels of skills adjust more effectively to the
challenges and opportunities. 1.9 India is in transition to a knowledge based economy and its competitive edge will
be determined by the abilities of its people to create, share and use knowledge more effectively. This transition will require India to develop workers into knowledge workers who will be more flexible, analytical, adaptable and multi
skilled. 1.10 India has the advantage of "demographic dividend. Harnessing the demographic
dividend through appropriate skill development efforts would provide an opportunity to achieve inclusion and productivity within the country and also a reduction in the global skill shortages. Large scale skill development is thus an
imminent imperative. Keeping in view the above mentioned points and the recommendations of the Working Group on "Empowerment of Minorities” for 12th Five Year Plan, Ministry of Minority Affairs proposes "Ih[kks vkSj dekvks (Learn and Earn)", a new 100% Central Sector Scheme for “Skill Development of Minorities to be implemented from the financial year 2013-14 onwards. The guidelines under the scheme are as follows: 2. OBJECTIVES :
2.1 To bring down unemployment rate of minorities during 12th Plan period. 2.2 To conserve and update traditional skills of minorities and establish their
linkages with market. 2.3 To improve employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc. and ensure
their placement. 2.4 To generate means of better livelihood for marginalized minorities and bring
them in the mainstream.
hority Benefits
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