GSDP is a recent initiative under the ENVIS scheme for skilling the youth in the country. It is an initiative for skill development in the environment and forest region by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to develop India’s youth into employable and/or self-employment, making use of the widespread network and experience of ENVIS Hubs/RPs.
The Green Skill Development programme endeavours to develop green skilled workers having technical knowledge and commitment to sustainable development, which will help in the attainment of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Biodiversity Targets(NBT).
About ENVIS:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme titled Environmental Information System (ENVIS) since 1982-83.
ENVIS has been providing scientific, technical and semi-technical information on various environmental issues, and has served in facilitating policy formulation and environment management at all levels of Government as well as in decision–making aimed at environment protection.ENVIS is a decentralized network of 66 centres of which 31 Centres dealing with ”State of the Environment and Related Issues” are hosted by State Government /UT Administration, called ENVIS Hubs and remaining 35 Centres are hosted by environment-related governmental and non-governmental organisations/institutes of professional excellence, with varied thematic mandates pertaining to environment, called the ENVIS Resource Partners(RP).
What are Green Skills?
Green skills are those skills required to adapt processes, services and products to climate change and the environmental rules and necessities related to it. They embrace the information, abilities, values and attitudes required to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society. India is the second most populous country in the world is bestowed with a large working population.
Why Green Skills?
Even though India has an advantage of reaping this demographic dividend but high drop-out rates from school coupled with poor vocational skills may hinder in reaping this dividend. There exists a demand-supply gap of skill sets, both cognitive and practical, at various levels in the Environment/ Forest fields in India.
Green skilling is crucial for making a transition from energy and emissions – intensive economy to cleaner and greener production and service patterns. It also prepares people for green jobs that contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment, while improving human well being and social equity.
These skills are needed in areas like similar to Renewable energy, sewer water treatment, Climate resilient cities, green construction, Solid waste management etc.
Hence under GSDP will include process-based green skills such as, monitoring and managing activities such as waste, energy efficiency, impact minimizing and assessment, etc. The ‘green skills’ under the programme include — biodiversity conservationists, Effluent Treatment Plant operators, air pollution abatement workers, equipment operators, waste handling and candidates for plantation sectors among others.
Importance of Green Skill Development Programme:
- The trainees of this programme can also be exposed for the expertise on wildlife conservation, nurseries, gardening etc. and may be absorbed with Department of atmosphere and Forests of the State Governments as well.
- The programme will train youth who haven’t been ready to continue education because of completely different financial or social constraints but has an urge to find out new things and do something fruitful.
- The green skilled workforce having technical information and commitment to property development can facilitate within the attainment of SDGs, INDCs and National Diversity Targets.
Government Steps:
The Environment Minister launched the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) and released the training course Modules on June 4, 2017 on the eve of World Environment Day.
Under the pilot scheme of GSDP, 94 Trainees successfully completed the basic course qualifying as skilled Biodiversity Conservationists and 154 students are enrolled for the Advance Course on Para-taxonomy. The BSI and ZSI are the nodal centres for the pilot programme.
After the success of the pilot, the scope of the programme is being extended to an all-India level, covering other green skills, with an identification of 35 such courses including –
- pollution monitoring (air/water/noise/soil),
- Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) operation,
- waste management,
- forest management,
- water budgeting & auditing,
- conservation of river dolphins,
- wildlife management,
- marine taxonomy & coastal biodiversity,
- mangroves conservation,
- bamboo management & livelihood generation.
The budget allocation for ENVIS in budget 2018-19 has been increased by 33 percent, and an estimated 80,000 people under various skilling courses of GSDP will be trained during 2018-19.
