By Col (Dr) DP Dimri (Retd)
Background
One is known for actions executed and results delivered and not merely promised. This is more applicable to those in short term politics. Here our focus is on those well-wishers of the state with genuine commitment to public service with long term vision in true sense of “While a politician works only for the next election, a leader plans to work for the future”.
Fortunately, the gradual political awareness and societal awakening of the general public to elect the right lawmakers is paying off. The masses in general have realised “You get the government you deserve”. The same is more relevant during the Silver Jubilee Year of the creation of Uttarakhand. It will, therefore, be worthwhile to indulge in an analytical study of lessons learned for creating a sustainable and developed Uttarakhand.
We need to profoundly ponder and focus on the most vital aspect adversely affecting long term sustainable growth of Uttarakhand and wellbeing of our youth, in particular. And this is “Employment & Employability”. Are our existing growth-engines, over 200 ITIs & Polytechnics, providing the required ‘Readily Employable Work Force’ to industry and businesses globally?
As per a study by International Labour Organisation (ILO), “India suffers not from Employment but Employability”. And the same is sadly applicable for Uttarakhand, too, where ‘Skill Development’ remained relegated to the last priority. Any ardent well-wisher of the State would vehemently vouch for a highly skilled population to create huge skilled demographic dividend and serve as the single solution to mass unemployment, unabated migration and pave the way for ultimate futuristic sustainable growth.
Notwithstanding manifold governmental concerns over a host of alarming issues such as Delimitation, Permanent Capital, Land Laws, innovative & cluster based Agro- farming, fast Demographic changes eroding our culture & traditions, balanced Infrastructural Development vs Environmental Aspects, Tourism to include presentable roadside Eateries, Home Stays & Adventure Sports, hand holding of Entrepreneurs / Start-ups, quality Education equipped with needed Skills & Health facilities in remote hill regions and, above all, arresting all pervasive Corruption; the crushing need of hour is “Suitable Employment”. This has to be taken as the topmost priority for unstoppable development.
Most governance issues demand astute actions with highest accountability and commitment with honest answers to legitimate hair raising questions like: Why strict land laws were not enforced at the very creation of the State as in Himachal for not selling greens & culture for coins? Raajdhani not raised up the hills as per mass appeals and avoiding disfiguring Uttarakhand’s pride, Dehradun? Why was delimitation not declined like other newly raised states? Why the then leadership or even central government not opt for better option of a Union Territory to start with? And a plethora of such large looming queries exist in the minds of common citizens of the state even today.
Now is the time to learn from past blunders and take corrective steps on post haste basis for the State to move on a steady development path. A few feasible steps for immediate implementation based on hard earned experience are enumerated here.
The Ultimate long lasting universal Growth – Mantra: Skills
Bill Gates has time and again emphasised, “Humans have ultimately to consume bread and not dollars”. This wise realistic statement amply signifies the importance of some kind of skill at hand to earn basic livelihood through offering befitting employment in agro-farming, manufacturing or service sectors. It will be pertinent to mention here that most developed countries have 50 to 95 percent of skilled population, leaving only the genuinely keen and worthy for higher academics. Fortunately, our NEP also reiterates skill-based education pattern; consistently working towards a ‘Skilled Nation’. Most states have wisely acted timely to encash on the central government’s plethora of incentive schemes on
SDE and moved forward in making their States skill-rich, Uttarakhand lags much behind on this vital aspect; resulting in huge “Unemployment” causing frequent widespread unrest and frustration among youth hungry for some kind of employment to earn their basic livelihood.
Our focus during the next 2 years should be to turn our population into a huge productive demographic dividend by making ‘Uttarakhand a Global Skill Hub’. Acted upon wisely, devotedly and in time, the objective is very much achievable. State leaders and bureaucracy need to realise this fact and proceed determined in a time bound manner.
Conceptualising and Establishing an Uttarakhand Skill University (USU)
The University would encompass all relevant elements providing fresh widows to much needed wider market access and relevant contacts to identify skills in demand, inter-university exchange of knowledge, well recognised status globally, intellectual repository and market research infrastructure, and enforcing corrective monitoring & control on regular basis for effective vibrant result-oriented growth of our skill-engines – the selected ITIs and polytechnics. This is the right national investment in terms of productive education and skills for long-term growth.
The resultant frequent ‘Academia-Industry interface ‘will facilitate required visits to industry shop floors, avail need based internship and timely placements’. Therefore, the very concept of “Skill University” will pay dividends in honing skills-in-demand and broad-based employability globally. Employable Skills available readily at hand will fetch befitting employment thus attaining the ultimate objective of making Uttarakhand “Kaushal- Pradhan Pradesh” on the lines of Himachal “Krishi Pradhan Pradesh”. This will result in befitting employment of Uttarakhandis at district, state, national and global levels as Skill Recognised Universally”.
Moreover, as the population of most advanced countries is getting older with reduced number of working hands, skill-surplus provides a unique opportunity for India and Uttarakhand to reap the skilled demographic dividend. Should Uttarakhand lose such a golden opportunity on the platter?
The progress on establishment of Uttarakhand Skill University
A highly pragmatic and economically viable proposal has been under consideration of the Uttarakhand Government for over 4 years now. The same has been vetted and appreciated at almost all relevant levels but not materialised on the ground as probably not taken with required seriousness for execution. The proposal envisages to work on the “Hub & Spokes” model. Nearly 20 to 25 ITIs / Polytechnics will be upgraded as CoEs for selected market research based skills in demand. Most required assets are available on the ground but for new machines for upgrading training labs/workshops, retrain instructors and minor renovations of a few existing buildings. No huge funds requirement, which may be mustered from the Central Government, crowdfunding, nominal fees from students, tech / financial corporate support, NABARD and some token seed money from the State Government.
As per recent news reports, Uttarakhand government is poised to jointly upgrade 13 ITIs as CoEs in association with Tata Technology, sharing 13 & 87 percent of total expenditure of over Rs 425 Crores. It is a welcome move as it provides huge relief to the State Exchequer. In case of any slackness in implementation, it may run our aspirations into the ground. However, modalities of joint working may always be worked out to create a win-win situation.
Ultimately, the success of such a massive multi-stakes endeavour will be possible only under a fully dedicated and committed hi-tech, efficient management and controlling apex organisation like the “Skill University”. The University would serve as an umbrella organisation to manage and control overall administrative, financial, training, testing, internship, research and innovation and timely deep looks into dynamic skills market demands and placements through coordination with industry and business houses within and outside the country.
It would also be pertinent to mention that consequent to outside agency support available, major expenses on raising the full- fledged proposed University will diminish considerably. Moreover, motivating youth and women, in particular, to undertake skill learning and pursue skilled jobs or entrepreneurship are also huge challenges. They need to be suitably addressed and motivated. All these actions will be carried out by the ‘Skill University’.
For timely effective implementation, the State may raise a mini “Advisory and Control Council comprising the Minister-in-charge, experts, bureaucrats and others under direct command of the Chief Minister for timely desired results on the ground. Visiting such universities within and out of the country may also be considered for updated implementation. All these seem tougher calls but should be considered imperative in the long term interest of the State.
The fate of Uttarakhand’s sustainable growth undoubtedly solely rests on raising “Skill University” for equipping youth and other aspirants with changing skills for employment globally as also suggested by President Droupadi Murmu: “Prepare youth for changing global demands.”
Uttarakhand is already lagging much behind on the skills aspect which may boomerang sooner or later. And, as history reveals, while government has power, youth are enshrined with courage. Let us not await loss of their faith in the system and, instead, harness their vitality to shape the state’s bright future. Now is the time for in-depth fresh contemplation and bold action without loss of any time to raise “Uttarakhand Skill University” and create history by paving the way for a prosperous State.
Our future generation will remain ever grateful and remember the leadership for this giant Skilled-Himalaya step! It is now or never.
(The author has been advisor to GoI on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and is Director, Trust Saath – Saath, working on quality education, skill development and career counseling.)
