National Skill Development Council constituted

New Delhi, Jul 5 (UNI) The Government has constituted the National Council on Skill Development, an apex body that will guide activities for skill development in the country.

The council will be chaired by the Prime Minister and would consist of Ministers of Human Resource Development, Finance, Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises, Rural Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Labour and Employment and Chairperson of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council.

Six experts in the area of skill development have been included in the Council. They are Dr C K Prahlad, Mr Nandan Nilekani, Ms Laila Tayabji, Ms Renana Jhabwala, Mr Rajendra Pawar and Mr Manish Sabharwal. Principal Secretary to Prime Minister would be the Member Secretary of the Council.

The Council is at the apex of a three-tier structure and would be concerned with vision setting and laying down core strategies. The Council would be assisted by the National Skill Development Coordination Board chaired by the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission which will coordinate action for skill development both in the public and the private sector.

To promote private sector action for skill development, an institutional arrangement in the form of a non-profit corporation called the National Skill Development Corporation is being set up by the Ministry of Finance. The Chairperson of the National Skill Development Corporation, a non-profit corporation to be set up by the Ministry of Finance would also be a Member of the Council.

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