Lucknow,

19 May (HS): Under the direction of Kapil Dev Agarwal, Minister of State

(Independent Charge) for Vocational Education, Skill Development, and

Entrepreneurship, the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission has taken an

important decision to integrate disadvantaged and special-needs sections of

society into the mainstream. Under this initiative of the Yogi government, 5

percent of seats have been mandatorily reserved for persons with disabilities

in each batch of all short-term skill training programs conducted in the state.

Minister

Agarwal stated that acid attack victims will be included in the category of

persons with disabilities, in accordance with the provisions of the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 of the Government of India, and they will

be given special priority in skill training. He said that if any acid attack

victim is willing and eligible to receive training, she should be ensured that

she is registered on a priority basis. Skill development is not just a means of

employment, but a powerful means of restoring self-confidence and dignity. He

said that the mission's goal is to provide these women with equal opportunities

and a new identity in society through training and employment.

On

the initiative of Mission Director Pulkit Khare, the District Program

Management Units (DPMU) of all districts of the state have been directed to

ensure the selection of eligible beneficiaries on reserved seats in the

training batches to be formed in the financial year 2026-27. Furthermore, for

the effective implementation of this scheme, instructions have been given to

coordinate with the District Probation Officers of the Women Welfare and Child

Development and Nutrition Department, so that by preparing a district-wise list

of acid attack victims, maximum eligible beneficiaries can be linked to this

scheme. He called upon all concerned departments and officers to ensure

effective compliance of the instructions, so that maximum number of needy women

can avail the benefits of this scheme.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi