Leh, April : A two days Apprenticeship and Self-Employment Mela at ITI, Leh was held by the District Administration, Leh in collaboration with the Regional Directorate Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship GoI and NSTI, Leh. The Apprenticeship Mela was organized as a part of the Pan India National Apprenticeship Mela programme of the DGT, MSDE, GoI held in every district of the country on April 21, with the aim to organize a combined industry drive and apprenticeship mela for onboarding of establishment on the apprenticeship portal and subsequent engagement of apprentices under the apprenticeship act 1961.
The event was inaugurated by Commissioner/ Secretary, Technical Education and Skill Development Department Ladakh, Padma Angmo. Addressing the gathering, she stated that apprenticeship is a great opportunity for the students to learn skills in Industries to make them employable and become job market-ready. She encouraged the students to take full advantage of the workshop. Further, she added that the apprenticeship programme will help the students to bridge the gap in practical knowledge and informed that as per the Apprenticeship Act 1961, it’s mandatory for any organization with more than 30 employees to take apprentices. She added that very soon the UT Administration will be issuing the notifications and orders for the same, after which the Industries, establishments, banks and departments of the UT Ladakh will need to mandatorily engage apprentices under the ambit of Apprenticeship Act. She also shared that the UT Administration is making all possible efforts in the upgradation of the ITI of Leh and Kargil districts in making it the best in the whole country by way of upgradation of civil infrastructure and upgradation of the trades of ITIs in line with modern Industries requirements.
The second day of the Apprenticeship Mela was graced by the Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson. He encouraged the students to take up entrepreneurial activities and exhorted that the young entrepreneurs are the future of Ladakh. With the vision of ‘New Ladakh’, the CEC opined that Ladakh’s future is bright and full of opportunities.
Executive Councillor, Stanzin Chospel remarked that this initiative will give hope to all the budding entrepreneurs to stand up on their own and realize their lifelong dreams and stressed on the need of organizing such melas more often.
Superintendent ITI, Leh, Phunstog Angmo in her vote of thanks stated that the Apprenticeship Mela cum Self Employment Mela is held for the first time in Leh district. She expressed her pleasure on the fact that the pass out trainees of ITI Leh are placed under wage employment and self-employment, she added that now the students are even more optimistic about their entrepreneurial journey with financial assistance from banks and advice of the experts.
The Apprenticeship Mela concluded with an interactive session with the students wherein many successful entrepreneurs shared their success stories. National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), Leh also gave a detailed presentation to educate the students about various schemes of the MSDE, GoI. Various Bank representatives present in the Mela thoroughly explained the schemes and guided the students on how to avail benefits of the various schemes. Various National Banks, State Banks, Public Sector Undertaking like NHPC, PGCIL along with UT Administration Departments like District Industries Centre and Employment Department were present at the Mela for on-the-spot counselling and registration of the trainees / youth regarding various schemes of the Departments and clearance of on-the-spot loan facility. On the spot loan clearance to the ITI pass-outs/ youth in order to encourage them to take up entrepreneurial activities was also facilitated at the Mela.
The event was attended by the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Shrikant BalaSuse; Executive Councillor, Stanzin Chospel; CPO, Leh, Sh. Tsewang Gyaltson; Deputy Director NSTI,Leh, P K Madavi; OSD, Technical Education and Skill Development Ladakh, Abid Hussain. Trainees of ITI Leh/ Pass out ITI Trainees, Students of Polytechnic College and Govt Degree College, Leh besides youth of Leh district participated in good numbers in the two days Mela.
