Ayush Ministry, MoRD signs MoU for skilling rural youth and empowering women

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Rural Development on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in developing skilled personnel by imparting training to rural poor youth and women’s for the Ayush healthcare system under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).

“Apart from this a course for training rural youth as panchakarma technicians/assistants will be started on a pilot basis,” the Ayush ministry said in a statement.

The MoU, valid for three years, was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Giriraj Singh, Minister of State for Ayush Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai by Dr Manoj Nesari, Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush and Shri Karma Zimpa Bhutia, Joint Secretary, (Rural Skills), Ministry of Rural Development.

In his address, Union Minister of Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Both the ministries will collaborate in boosting the spirit of self-employment. This will enable the empowerment of rural youths and women. This will increase employment opportunities in rural areas. I hope both ministries will continue to explore similar associations, where we can work together for the betterment of society.”

While speaking at the event, MoRD minister Giriraj Singh said, “this MoU will be a landmark in empowering women’s self-help groups and rural poor youth. The initial target is to train a large number of women, which will be increased going forward. We will give priority to self-help groups.”

The training program undertaken under this MoU shall be funded as per Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) cost norms. National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and DDU-GKY will communicate to States/UTs for enlisting willing SHG members and rural poor youth about the courses and training by institutes of the Ministry of Ayush. Whereas, the MoA shall provide its institutes for the purpose of conducting courses, training & certification of the aspirants/candidates. The ministry will also depute nodal agencies across the country, who shall ensure mobilization, counselling, training, placement and tracking of candidates as per DDU-GKY norms in their respective designated states.

Apart from this, both ministries will also work on formulating a system, wherein technical assistance would be provided in identifying permissible medicinal plantation activities, plant protection, and inter-cropping in order to generate additional streams for income under relevant schemes of the Ministry of Rural development. Ministry will also arrange training and orientation of plantation beneficiaries and various community-level livelihood workers.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is the flagship program of the Ministry of Rural Development, GoI. As a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), DDU-GKY aims to transform rural poor youth into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce.

Through this MoU, it is expected to create synergy and convergence between both ministries and enable the fulfilment of the larger goal of community development and poverty alleviation in rural areas. Both sides also agreed to set up a Joint Working Group, through which other activities of mutual interest may be identified and jointly worked upon by the Ministry of Rural Development & Ministry of Ayush. (ANI)