The Ministry of Textiles is making significant strides to enhance India’s workforce through the Samarth (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector) initiative. The scheme has successfully imparted skills to 1.50 lakh individuals, with a 70% employment rate among trainees. Notably, over 85% of the beneficiaries are women from marginalized sections of society.
Special Focus on Upskilling
In addition to entry-level training, Samarth includes provisions for upskilling and reskilling programs to enhance the productivity of existing workers in the apparel and garmenting segments. It also caters to traditional textile sectors such as handloom, handicraft, silk, and jute.
Samarth incorporates advanced features like the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS), Training of Trainers (ToT), CCTV recording of training programs, a dedicated call center with a helpline, a mobile app, and a web-based Management Information System (MIS) for online monitoring. The scheme’s implementation is transparent, with state, district, and training center-wise information available on a public dashboard.
Extensive Course Offerings
The scheme offers 184 courses aligned with the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) across various textile segments. Training centers proposed by implementing partners are verified by dedicated government agencies to ensure adequate infrastructure.
The Ministry of Textiles has partnered with 116 textile industries and industry associations, 12 central and state government agencies, and three sectoral organizations to undertake training programs under Samarth. The scheme has reached 28 states and six union territories, benefiting all sections of society, including SC, ST, and other marginalized categories.
Key Achievements and Impact
Samarth has trained 1.50 lakh beneficiaries out of the 3.47 lakh target, with more than 70% of those trained in organized sector courses gaining employment. The scheme’s impact is notable for its support of women and marginalized communities.
Empowering MSMEs with Industry 4.0 Technologies
The Ministry of Heavy Industries, under the Scheme for “Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector,” has established four SAMARTH (Smart Advanced Manufacturing and Rapid Transformation Hub) Centers. These centers are pivotal in training MSMEs to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies.
The SAMARTH centers include the Centre for Industry 4.0 (C4i4) Lab in Pune, IITD-AIA Foundation for Smart Manufacturing at IIT Delhi, I-4.0 India at IISc Bengaluru, and the Smart Manufacturing Demo & Development Cell at CMTI Bengaluru. These centers have developed various Industry 4.0 solutions, including the Industry 4.0 Maturity Model (I4MM) for Indian manufacturing companies. Over 200 factories have been assessed under this model, with C4i4 Lab launching a free online assessment tool for MSMEs.
Training and Consultancy Services
The centers have provided extensive training, with CMTI Bengaluru training about 5,000 professionals in smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0. The SAMARTH centers also offer consultancy in areas such as IoT hardware, software development, and data analytics, providing incubation support to startups, including MSMEs.
Both the Samarth scheme and the SAMARTH centers reflect the government’s commitment to skill development and technological advancement. By focusing on marginalized communities and MSMEs, these initiatives are paving the way for a more skilled and technologically adept workforce in India.
