Parliamentary panel on Labour, Skill, Textiles expresses concern over government's indecision in hiking stipend for graduate and diploma apprentices

Category: General

Country: India

Committee further said that department need to take up with the union finance ministry in right earnest to make good on its own suggestion

Ravi S Singh | Tribune News Service | New Delhi, August 7

The Parliamentary panel on Labour, Skill and Textiles has expressed concern that despite the government’s claim of enhancement in the stipend amount to Rs 9000 per month for graduate apprentices and Rs 8000 per month for diploma apprentices, they were being paid stipend as per the old rate of Rs 4984 per month and Rs 3542 per month respectively.

In its report, the standing committee of the union ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship flagged its “deep concern” in its report. The report is subsequent to the government’s report of action taken on the committee’s recommendation in the matter.

The committee, headed by Bhartruhari Mahtab, had in recommended for enhancement in the stipendiary provision in its earlier report.

The recommendation was under the rubric of the ‘Implementation of National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)/National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS)’ relating to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Education (Department of Higher Education). 

In their action taken note furnished to the committee, the Department of Higher Education noted that the recommendation had been implemented with effect from April 1, 2021.

In response, the parliamentary body has taken a dim view. Further, it broadened the focus of the arch light, noting that it becomes imperative on the part of the Department of Higher Education to ensure that all the graduate and diploma apprentices are invariably paid the “revised stipend amount with retrospective effect from 1st April, 2021”. 

The committee further said that the department need to take up with the Union Finance Ministry in right earnest to make good on its own suggestion that it would be appropriate to enhance the stipend amount to Rs 18000 per month for graduate apprentices and Rs 15000 per month for diploma apprentices.

Courtesy: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/parliamentary-panel-on-labour-skill-textiles-expresses-concern-over-governments-indecision-in-hiking-stipend-for-graduate-and-diploma-apprentices-419812