NIPUN Scheme

In News

• Recently, the government launched the NIPUN (National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers) scheme to train over 1 lakh construction workers.

More about the scheme:

• The project NIPUN is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under its flagship scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). 
• Aim:
  • It aims to train over 1 lakh construction workers, through fresh skilling and upskilling programmes.
  • It will also provide workers with work opportunities even in foreign countries.
• Role of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC):
  • NSDC, the nodal agency under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), will be the Implementation Partner for the project.
    • The project implementation is divided into three parts – 
      • Training through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) at construction sites, 
      • Training through Fresh Skilling by Plumbing and Infrastructure SSC and 
      • International Placement through industries/ builders/ contractors in countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC countries.
    • The courses are aligned with National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF).
  • NSDC will be responsible for the overall execution of training, monitoring and candidate tracking. 
  • It will provide trainees with ‘Kaushal Bima’, three-year accidental insurance with coverage of INR 2 lakhs. 
  • Digital skills such as cashless transactions, orientation about entrepreneurship, and EPF and BOCW facilities will also be provided to trainees. 

Significance:

• Boost to the GDP:
  • The construction industry is a significant contributor to the nation’s GDP and this initiative will enable the construction workers to seek better job opportunities, increase their wages and even pursue overseas placements.
• Horizontal coverage for the workers:
  • The construction industry has not spread horizontally across the industry and this project may help for the cause. 
• Diversifying skills:
  • This initiative will enable Nirman workers to be more proficient and skilled while making them adopt future trends in the construction industry by increasing their capabilities and diversifying their skill sets.
• Boost for the important projects:
  • It will also provide a skilled workforce for key projects like Metro construction, Central Vista, etc.
• Self-employment:
  • The spirit of entrepreneurship has been encouraged and supported by giving urban workers access to self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities. 

Challenges

• Categorised in ‘Informal workforce’:
  • The construction industry despite being a significant contributor to the GDP, its key contributors, the construction workers are still amongst the Informal workforce in India.
  • The problems in the informal sector can be costly as they can lead to job and wage losses, higher inflation and even risk to the livelihood of construction workers. 
• Inadequate Social security benefits:
  • Informal sector workers lack social security benefits, making them very vulnerable to any calamity, may it be natural or man-made.
• Marginalised groups: 
  • A significantly high proportion of these workers belong to the marginalised groups and are also migrant labourers.
• Structural disadvantage: 
  • The structural disadvantage in terms of literacy and skills make them more prone to exploitation. 
  • Few of these workers are skilled yet have low-paid occupational jobs. 
  • The discrimination in the urban informal labour market against these people leaves them with no choice but to accept the offered wage.

Source: TH