Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP)

The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India (MoRD) has initiated Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP) to promote rural livelihoods by providing an opportunity for young people from poor communities to enhance their skills and enter the experienced workforce in developing sectors of the economy. The programme’s focus is on skilling and placement in the formal sector for rural youth who are poor. In this article, we look at the Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP) in detail.

Key Features of Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP)

Some of the features of ASDP are as follows:

This programme aims to provide customized residential and non-residential training to the people.
Under this scheme, a minimum 624 hours of training classes with modules on trade-specific skills, IT and soft skills will be given to the people.
The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India (MoRD) provided Special programs for the minorities and most critical Districts
This programme has been implemented under the supervision of the central and state governments.
This includes programs for rural infrastructure, rural housing, employment guarantee, livelihood promotion, and social pensions.
75% assured placement above the minimum wages
Post-placement support has also been provided under this scheme.
Food and transport support will be provided during the training period
MoRD has been given the target to skill 50 lakh rural BPL youths.

Eligibility Criteria

The applicants must satisfy the below following criteria to apply for the scheme.

Only poor rural people are eligible to apply.
The age limit of the applicants to be between 18 to 35 years.
Persons with disabilities and persons who belong to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PTGs) are also eligible with the upper age limit to 45 years.
Special groups comprising of Persons with Disabilities (PwD), victims of trafficking, manual scavengers, transgender, rehabilitated bonded labour are allowed to enrol if they are above the age of 16 years.

Nature of assistance

The youth identified under the ASDP get skilled in a wide range of trades, including IT and soft skills. In many cases, the ASDP training and placement involves training rural youth and placing them in jobs away from their native districts or even states. After the training and placement period, the assistance will be provided in terms of funding for accommodation, opening a bank account when located outside the home region and counselling at the workplace. The funding for this programme is available from the ASDP budget of MoRD at the rate of up to Rs. 10 lakhs per centre per year. These centres may either be for SC/ST or minorities migrating within the State or to support migration outside the State.

Programme evaluation of ASDP

The evaluation ASDP will be conducted based on the frequency and terms of conditions and reference approved by the Empowered Committee (EC).

Application Procedure

All eligible

entrepreneurs can approach the nearest PIAs (Project Implementing Agencies) to apply for the ASPD. These agencies for-profit or not-for-profit registered entities that are identified by ASDP for skill training and placing the identified youth in various sectors as per their interest.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Aajeevika Skill Development Programme ASDP.

The Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP) is an initiative by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, aimed at promoting rural livelihoods by providing skill development opportunities and job placements in the formal sector for rural youth from poor communities.

The ASDP is targeted at poor rural youth aged between 18 and 35 years. Persons with disabilities and those belonging to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PTGs) are eligible up to 45 years of age. Additionally, special groups like Persons with Disabilities (PwD), victims of trafficking, manual scavengers, transgender individuals, and rehabilitated bonded laborers can enroll if they are above 16 years of age.

Under ASDP, customized residential and non-residential training is provided, including a minimum of 624 hours of classes covering trade-specific skills, IT skills, and soft skills. The training aims to equip rural youth with the necessary skills to enter the formal workforce in developing sectors of the economy.

During the training period, ASDP provides food and transport support to the trainees. After successful placement, post-placement support is offered, including assistance with accommodation, opening bank accounts (if placed outside their home region), and workplace counseling.

The ASDP aims to provide assured placement to at least 75% of the trainees above the minimum wage. The training and placement may involve relocating the rural youth to jobs in different districts or states from their native areas.

ASDP is implemented under the supervision of the central and state governments, with funding available from the ASDP budget of the Ministry of Rural Development at a rate of up to Rs. 10 lakhs per center per year. Special programs are also in place for minorities and critical districts.

Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) are for-profit or not-for-profit registered entities identified by ASDP for skill training and placement of the identified rural youth in various sectors according to their interests. Eligible candidates can approach the nearest PIA to apply for ASDP.

The evaluation of ASDP is conducted based on the frequency and terms of conditions and reference approved by the Empowered Committee (EC) set up for this purpose.

The Ministry of Rural Development has set a target to skill 50 lakh (5 million) rural Below Poverty Line (BPL) youth under ASDP.

ASDP plays a crucial role in promoting rural livelihoods by providing skill development opportunities and formal job placements to rural youth from poor communities, thereby contributing to poverty alleviation and economic empowerment in rural areas.