To fulfill poll promise of jobs, Chandrababu Naidu government might take support of Modi government scheme

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Chandrababu Naidu government has ambitious plans to generate one lakh new job opportunities in the state in the run up to the 2019 elections, while intending to utilise an incentive scheme launched by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre with which it has parted ways recently.

Since its exit from the NDA in March, the Telugu Desam Party has been aggressive in its attack on former ally BJP accusing it of scant support to the state beleaguered by the bifurcation, revenue loss, capital construction etc. issues.

However, towards fulfilment of a major poll promise of Naidu in 2014 of providing jobs to every qualified youth in Andhra Pradesh, his government is contemplating to converge its own unemployment youth allowance scheme with the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, launched by the Centre in August 2016.

Under the NAPS, the Government of India would reimburse 25 per cent of the prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs 1500 per month per apprentice to all employers who engage apprentices.

“So far the central scheme was implemented for the ITI pass outs etc. through the department of labour and employment, training. Now we are moving to include graduates and polytechnic diploma holders in the apprenticeship programme with the active participation of the industry. We have set a target of creating one lakh such apprenticeships in the state this fiscal (2018-19),” L V Subrahmanyam, special chief secretary, youth affairs, government of Andhra Pradesh told ToI.

The state government is now engaging with the industry to encourage them to hire apprentices. For this purpose, the AP government and APSSDC, collaborating with the Confederation of Indian Industry and others is organising a conference on implementation of apprenticeship in AP on Wednesday at Visakhapatnam.

Interestingly, the concept paper of the conference – a copy in possession of the ToI – mentions the government’s proposal to converge the scheme with the unemployment youth allowance of the state to make apprenticeships more attractive for the industry.

“There is a proposal to tap into the centre’s Rs 1500 reimbursement scheme as we thought an equal amount when added from our side would contribute for a good wage. But the problem is the NAPS mechanism is very slow and we are not sure when the reimbursements are received (from Delhi by the employer). Anyhow, we are not spelling out the final modalities right now,” Subrahmanyam adds.

Since a lot of regulation was what inhibiting the industries on hiring apprentices, the conference would focus on convincing the industry on the benefits of engaging apprentices in the wake of changes to the previously regulative Apprentices Act and the stipend reimbursement etc. incentives extended for the companies.

Boost for employment in the State

An apprentice is a person who is engaged with a firm to learn the skills of the trade, customarily at minimal wages and for a fixed term. Based on his skill development during the apprenticeship, this individual might land a job in the same firm or become fit for a job elsewhere

The Government of India while providing reimbursements towards apprentice stipends to the firms has also expanded the scope of apprenticeship to a variety of vocations like in the IT and ITES, banking financial services and insurance, tourism and hospitality sectors

The AP government and Andhra Pradesh Skills Development Corporation have now set out to promote the apprentice program in the state

The APSSDC also has formed a separate apprenticeship cell

APSSDC officials state that the Vizag conference is one-of its-kind by any state and is expected to set the pace for active industry engagement and also help transform Andhra Pradesh into the ‘Skill Capital of India

The Wednesday conference to facilitate expansion of apprenticeship in AP is likely to host around 200 industries and 300 training partners.

“Apprenticeship is a sustainable solution to the challenge of youth unemployment. It prepares the workforce for the dynamic demands of the industry and increasing competitiveness of the job market,” Sandeep Kosaraju, general manager, APSSDC.