DPIIT suggests electronics industry to create skilling programme

The government on Monday suggested the electronics industry to come together and create a skilling programme for the sector to deal with the shortage of skilled manpower. Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Anurag Jain said that Skill India initiative will support such programmes as it has huge funds.

"When we talk about the electronics industry, one of the biggest issues (they flag) is skilled manpower...Why does not the industry come together, create a skilling programme for yourself. Skill India is there to support and we have huge funds lying," Jain said at the launch of the roadmap to USD 300 billion goal for Sustainable Electronics Manufacturing and Export.

He said that the industry can create skill universities and train people to their satisfaction.

"When we talk to foreign companies to come and set up shops (here)...(They also raise that), your engineers are not employable, we have to train them, skill is lacking...," he said adding high-end skills can also be supported.

The Skill India Mission was launched on July 15, 2015.

The secretary also said that the industry should factor in constraints of the government before demanding any incentives.

On free trade agreements (FTAs), he said that India is in the process of negotiating 7-8 FTAs and that should come out "very soon in the next 1-1.5 years".

However, he added that the industry should provide proper and detailed inputs to the commerce ministry as it would help in negotiating such pacts.