Delhi govt launches programme to upskill construction workers

The programme was launched by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who explained that workers will undergo upskilling that will help boost their income.

The Delhi government on Wednesday launched the ’Mission Kushal Karmi’ programme under which labourers registered with the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board will be offered a skill development training course. The government will also provide a sum of at least ₹4,200 to each worker who takes the course to compensate for the loss of work during the 15-day programme.

The programme was launched by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who explained that workers will undergo upskilling that will help boost their income. Under the programme, workers will be trained for 120-hours in their workplace-like environment, he added.

“This will help in increasing the income of workers up to ₹8,000. The government aims to train 200,000 workers in a year under the programme. Construction companies will also benefit from these skilled workers. The programme will be conducted by the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU) along with Simplex, NAREDCO and India Vision Foundation,” Sisodia said.

A senior official aware of the programme details said DESU is running training centres at three places currently and more centres will be added in the coming days.

“This course is expected to increase productivity of workers by 40%. It is expected to increase the quality of product produced by 25% and wastage of materials may decrease by 50%. It will also help improve domain skills and soft skills, thereby making the worker more proficient and confident. Standard safety norms will also be taught in detail, thereby increasing the longevity of work and social security,” the official said asking not to be named.

Sisodia said: “People are bound to pay a fee to learn something, but chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s government is giving money to construction workers to learn new skills. It usually happens that people have to go to some institute to take training, but this is the first time in the country that a university will provide training to workers at their place of work.”