Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has emerged as a significant opportunity for young Kashmiri women, equipping them with skills that enhance their employability in various industries.
PMKVY is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), implemented by the National Skill Development Corporation. The program aims to provide industry-relevant skill training to a large number of Indian youth, enabling them to secure better livelihoods.
Recognizing the surge in tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, Mehwish, a resident of Srinagar, decided to utilize the PMKVY scheme to train as a housekeeping assistant.
“I have completed my graduation. I heard about PMKVY and I came to know how important it is to have skills. Before 2019, tourist flow was very low, but now the tourist flow is high,” Mehwish told ANI.
“There are new hotels and resorts everywhere and there is an increase in job opportunities… I took training for a housekeeping assistant to get a job and support my family,” she added.
Another Srinagar resident, who also benefited from PMKVY, learned about the scheme through her teachers.
“I have done my diploma in Computer Application. My teacher told me about PMKVY through which we could develop skills professionally,” she told ANI.
“I took admission and I saw that it has a lot of scope… This scheme is very good for everyone… This was free of cost, we were not charged any money,” she added.
One of the notable successes of PMKVY in Kashmir has been the revival of Namda Craft. In July 2023, the first batch of Namda Art products was exported to the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone for the traditional craft.
Namda craft is a unique rug-making technique that uses sheep wool and a felting process instead of conventional weaving. The craft faced a steep decline between 1998 and 2008 due to shortages of raw materials, a lack of skilled artisans, and weak marketing strategies. However, with the support of PMKVY, artisans have been trained to revive and sustain this heritage art.
The Jammu and Kashmir government is working to make skill development more demand-driven and decentralized, with a strong focus on digital technology and industry alignment under PMKVY.
Training at PMKVY centers is designed to benefit semi-skilled, unskilled, or unemployed individuals above 14 years of age. These programs follow the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) and cover not only hard skills but also soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and digital literacy.
PMKVY continues to be a game-changer in Kashmir, helping young individuals, especially women, gain meaningful employment and contribute to the region’s economic growth.