NEW DELHI, JUNE 4
With the aim of making the best of our skilled workforce returning to the country due to the ongoing pandemic, the Government of India has launched a new initiative SWADES (Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support) to conduct a skill mapping exercise of the returning citizens under the Vande Bharat Mission. This is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of External Affairs which aims to create a database of qualified citizens based on their skillsets and experience to tap into and fulfil the demand of Indian and foreign companies.
The collected information will be shared with the companies for suitable placement opportunities in the country. The returning citizens are required to fill up an online SWADES Skills Card. The card will facilitate a strategic framework to provide the returning citizens with suitable employment opportunities through discussions with key stakeholders including State Governments, Industry Associations and Employers. MSDE’s implementation arm National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is supporting the implementation of the project.
Commenting on the collaboration, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “These are testing times and it is crucial that the entire country comes together and supports the Centre in its efforts to address the challenges posed by the economic downturn caused by the COVID – 19 pandemic. Inspired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of security and growth for all, the data collected through SWADES Skill Card will help the citizens with job prospects and bridge the demand-supply gap.”
Sharing his thoughts on the initiative, Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Civil Aviation Minister, said, “When we started Vande Bharat Mission, we observed that a lot of our overseas workers returning to India due to job losses possess international skill sets and experience which can be of great value for domestic and international markets. We reached out to MSDE to create an online portal for gathering database of these workers. To ensure dissemination of information on SWADES Skill Card, In-flight announcements are being made by Air India and Air Indian Express that are operating flights under the Vande Bharat Mission.”
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs commented, “In view of the global emergency caused by the unprecedented spread of the Novel Coronavirus, we are committed to providing every possible support to our citizens stranded abroad and the challenges they are facing due to job losses. We shall actively promote the SWADES Skill Card initiative through our Embassies/ High Commissions/Consulates across different countries. The initiative will help in the deployment of returning Indian workforce matching their skill sets.”
The online form available on www.nsdcindia.org/swades has been created to gather required details of the returning citizens. The form contains details such as details related to the work sector, job title, employment, years of experience. A Toll-free call centre facility has also been set up to support the citizens for any queries related to filling the form.
The SWADES Skill Form (online) was made live on Saturday, May 30, 2020, and has garnered around 7,000 registrations till date (June 3, 2020 – 2 pm).
