The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new development skill scheme at an expenditure of Rs 1,300 crore to help create more jobs in the labour-intensive textile sector that has been hit by demonetisation and the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST). The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The scheme will cover the entire value chain of textiles excluding spinning and weaving in the organised sector. Through the scheme, nearly 10 lakh people are expected to be skilled and certified in various segments of the textile sector. The scheme also aims at placing 70 per cent of the certified trainees in the wage employment. The report also mentions that post-placement will be made mandatory under the scheme.

The objectives of the scheme are to provide demand driven, placement-oriented skilling programme in order to incentivize the efforts of the industry in creating jobs in the organised textile and related sectors.

It is aimed at providing livelihood to all sections of the society across the country including to rural, remote, LWE affected, North East, J&K by imparting skills in the identified job roles. Various social groups like SC, ST, differently-abled, minorities will be given preference. The scheme will also help meet the in-house requirement of manpower.

Reputed training institutes having placements tie-ups with textile industry will be rolling out the scheme. The skilling requirement in the traditional sectors such as handlooms, handicrafts, jute, silk etc will be considered as special projects through respective sectoral divisions/ organisations.

More than 10 lakh people of which around 70 percent were women, have been trained under previous scheme of skill development implemented by the Ministry of Textiles.

The cabinet also decided to bring in a new consumer protection law, repealing the existing Consumer Protection Act of 1986, that will provide better protection and an alternative dispute resolution facility for consumers. The Consumer Protection Bill, 2017 will seek to address “new-age consumer protection challenges,” a person informed about the development said on condition of anonymity.