The tagline, ‘Kaushal Bharat, Kushal Bharat' suggests that skilling Indians (‘Kaushal Bharat') will result in a happy, healthy, prosperous and strong nation (‘Kushal Bharat.')

A short film unveiling the logo was shown, which featured the Sanskrit chant ‘SarvadaVigyataVijaya,'bmeaning ‘Skill Always Wins.'

The inititaives

The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), the Ministry's flagship, demand-driven, reward-based skill training scheme will incentivise skill training by providing financial rewards to candidates who successfully complete approved skill training programmes.

Over the next year, PMKVY will skill 24 lakh youth, across India. For the first time, the skills of young people who lack formal certification, such as workers in India's vast unorganised sector, will be recognised. Through an initiative known as ‘Recognition of Prior Learning' (RPL), 10 lakh youth will be assessed and certified for the skills that they already possess.

The Prime Minister also launched the Skill Loan scheme. Loans ranging from Rs 5,000-1.5 lakhs will be made available to 34 lakh youth of India seeking to attend skill development programmes over the next five years. Sanction letters for the first ever Skill Loans were handed out by the Prime Minister to aspiring trainees.

Skill Cards and Skill Certificates awarded to trainees

During the function, Modi awarded Skill Cards and Skill Certificates to trainees who had recently completed training through the Pilot Phase of PMKVY, which started in May 2015. Such Skill Cards and Skill Certificates will allow trainees to share their skill identity with employers.

Each Skill Card and Skill Certificate features a Quick Response Code (QR Code), which can be read through a QR reader on mobile devices. Trainees can use these to share their skill qualifications with employers in a quick and reliable way during the job search process.

The Prime Minister addressed the audience, articulating a clear overarching vision for Skill India. He highlighted the centrality of skills to India's development and called on government, private sector and India's youth to work together to make this vision a reality.

Continued to the next page