The Integrated Skilled Development Scheme introduced in India in 2010 -11 to address the manpower requirements of textiles and related segments has a target to equip 15 lakh people by the end of March 2017. It’s expected to help overcome the shortage of skilled workforce in textile sector and become a growth driver in the industry and trigger innovation and scale.

The government provides a grant subsidy of 75 per cent of the project cost with a ceiling of Rs 10,000 per trainee. So far around 4.20 lakh candidates have been successfully trained across diverse sectors like apparel and garments, textiles, handlooms, handicrafts, sericulture, technical textiles, jute etc. Around 3,250 training centers are there across states, cities and rural areas including remote locations, backward regions and left wing extremism-affected areas.

During 2010, around six projects were sanctioned under the scheme. This has increased progressively to 57 in the year 2014 and 76 in the year 2015-16. The scheme was revamped in 2014-15, with a view to simplifying procedures and focusing on partnering with industry for scaling up of implementation of the training program with assured employment.

Steps have been taken to devise strong monitoring norms and to enhance the quality of training. There has been a continuous endeavor towards digitisation of skill development initiatives.