By Dominick Rodrigues
Mumbai : Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced a pioneering program of using manpower in the healthcare, nursing and paramedical fields –who are trained in 36 related courses – in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Titled the +Chief Minister Mega Health Skill Development Program+, it was launched here today by the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for meeting the urgent needs of the health sector in the wake of the pandemic. .
Assuring maximum funds to the health department in this regard, Thackeray noted that the smooth functioning of medical facilities called for a trained workforce that could be ensured through this program, besides also providing jobs for youth in Maharashtra.
While around Rs 35 to 40 crore would be spent on this scheme, a provision of Rs 20 crore had been made with the remaining amount being provided soon, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, adding that this program would ensure jobs for skilled people while also eradicating unemployment.
Maharashtra Minister for Skill Development, Nawab Malik said that with the Government setting a target of training 20,000 youth under this scheme, as many as 15,366 unemployed youth were provided jobs in June 2021 through various initiatives, besides the concerned Department announcing the RPL program to certify skilled candidates working in various fields. This program is expected to certify one lakh skilled candidates and the department has taken steps to provide employment alongside training the youth, Malik added.
This training program will be implemented jointly by the Maharashtra StateSkill Development Society of the Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department to accelerate the “Health for All” policy by providing trained manpower in the healthcare sector.
The Public Health and Medical Education Department will be jointly conducting this program in which the trained workforce – comprising those interested in working in the health sector — will be deployed in 348 medical colleges, government hospitals and the best private hospitals that are notified as training centers in on-the-job training system.
The first phase will witness 5000 candidates being trained, besides training also being provided to candidates in hospitals having standard basic facilities at the local level. Meanwhile, youth interested in availing of this training scheme should register on the department portal https://www.mahaswayam.gov.in
