Karnataka sets up task force to draw roadmap for skill development

The aim is to create 1 crore entrepreneurship opportunities in the state

The Karnataka government has constituted a Skill and Entrepreneurship Task Force for career guidance, training, and enhancement of employment with a roadmap for the creation of 1 crore entrepreneurship opportunities.

The task force has members drawn from both private and public sectors to drive collaborations and to create development models, a government order said.

The broad objectives of the task force are: equipping the youth with digital skills and relevant 21st-century skills with entrepreneurial mindsets, preparing the next generation for the future of work, which is digitally and entrepreneurial-based models with career counselling and internship/experiential mode.

Aligning market opportunities in digital services, agriculture/agri-tech and various local job-creating verticals like handloom/ handicrafts, manufacturing, tourism, retail/ecommerce and logistics, the government order said.

During a meeting held by Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan on March 8 and 9, it was decided to constitute a multi-stakeholder task force with members from the social/private sector/state government to drive collaboration and to create models.

It further added that the task force will draw a roadmap for local job creation and a nurturing entrepreneurial ecosystem at the district level so that these growth opportunities are spread equitably across the state.

The task force is expected to come out with an initial action plan by the end of July.

The 23-member task force is headed by the Secretary to Government, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Department. Commissioner, Collegiate & Technical Education is the Convenor and Madan Padaki, Co-founder & CEO, 1Bridge is the Co-Convenor.

There are five subgroups and each of them will publish a work-plan with action items and milestones for 12 months. The task force will be in force for a period of one year and can be extended if required, the government order added.