By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
Jammu: In a significant move, the NDA led central government launched a skill development programme for Muslims girls of Jammu and Kashmir under its ‘Nai Manzil’ initiative.
Nai Manzil, meaning New Goal is an educational and skills-development programme funded by the World Bank. It has been designed to help minority youth (17-35) from poorer backgrounds. Aimed particularly at school dropouts, the project will provide them necessary skills to find jobs which they couldn’t get even after completing their education. The scheme was launched last year from Bihar.
“We launched the skill development programme in three madarsas for girls in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. The programme is being launched under our Nai Manzil initiative.We will provide the girls area-specific training, based on local requirements as part of the programme,” Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla was quoted by PTI.
The Minister said girls from economically poor background will be trained at three institutions which include a development centre in Kashmir University and Madarsa Shahi-i-Hamdan in Pampore and Madarsa Imam Sadique in Shadipur in Bandipora.
She said training will be given in seven areas including saffron and fruits processing, traditional embroidery, tourism, hospitality, software and hardware, electronics and plumbing.
The Minister said students will be trained in these areas over a period of three-month beyond learning hours and also offered stipend of Rs 4,000 each besides they will receive certificates from Sector Skill Councils.
Heptulla said her Ministry has sought more funds from Finance Ministry in the upcoming budget.
Nai Manzil scheme, already introduced in Mumbai and Patna, is an integrated education and livelihood initiative for minority communities.
Importantly, on New Year’s eve the Indian government and the World Bank had signed a $50 million loan for Nai Manzil prorgammes.