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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4085
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026
SKILL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES FOR MSME WORKFORCE
4085. SHRI S NIRANJAN REDDY:
Will the Minister of MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is aware that a significant proportion of India's workforce continues to fall
under low-skilled (Skill Level 1) and semi-skilled (Skill Level 2) categories with limited access to
formal vocational or technical training, as indicated by the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS);
(b) the steps taken to bridge the skill gap in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector,
including partnerships with industry and educational institutions; and
(c) whether Government proposes short-term training programmes and financial support for skill
development and technology adoption for MSMES?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a): Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conducts the Periodic Labour
Force Survey (PLFS) and has statedthat information on India's workforce falling under low-skilled (Skill
Level 1) and semi-skilled (Skill Level 2) is not available. The PLFS is the primary source of data on
activity participation and employment unemployment condition of the population. Percentage
distribution of persons of age groups 15-29 years and 15-59 years by vocational/technical training as per
PLFS 2023-24 is given as below:
vocational/technical training did not receive
received vocational/
Age group Total
technical
formal other than formal
training
15-29 years 4.9 21.2 73.9 100.0
15-59 years 4.1 30.6 65.3 100.0
(b) & (c): Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing Pradhan
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0, since FY 2022-23 as a part of Skill India Program for
imparting skill development training through Short-Term Training (STT) and up-skilling & re-skilling
through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to youth across the country. The objective of the scheme is
to enhance the employability of youth by equipping them with industry-relevant skills including those
related to MSME sector.: 2 :
PMKVY 4.0 is a demand-driven scheme aimed at bridging skill gaps identified across various
sectors. Identification of such gaps is facilitated through skill gap studies conducted by the Sector Skill
Councils. Further, District Skill Committees constituted across all States/UTs prepare District Skill
Development Plans (DSDPs) to promote decentralized planning for skill development and effective
implementation at the grassroots level. The DSDPs identify priority sectors with employment potential
and assess the associated skilling demand. Under PMKVY 4.0, a total of 27,09,984 have been trained/
oriented across 30 + sectors like Agriculture, IT-ITeS, Automotive, Telecom, Hydrocarbon etc.
The Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises has a network of Technology Centres
(TCs) across the country which provide technology supporttoindustries and MSMEs in various sectors
such as General Engineering, Forging & Foundry, Electronics, Electrical Measuring Instruments,
Fragrance & Flavour, Glass, Footwear, and Sports Goods through the design and manufacture of tools,
precision components, molds, dyes, jigs & fixtures, etc. These TCs also impart skill training to youth to
create industry-ready manpower, including emerging sector need based programmes like Robotics, EVs,
digital services etc. for MSMEs and undertake re-skilling of the existing industry workforce as per needs
of industry & artisans also.
The Ministry is also implementing PM-Vishwakarma scheme.Under the Skill Upgradation
component basic skill training has been provided to 23.72 lakh beneficiaries out of 30 lakhs registered
across the country, since inception of the Scheme in September, 2023.
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