The programme was launched in 2017 on pilot basis by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in association with National Skill Development Agency.
The initiative aims at skill development of India’s youth in the environment and forest sector resulting in gainful employment or self-employment.
Target: About 5 lakh people to be covered under the programme by the year 2021. More than 30 programmes have been identified, which will be conducted in 84 institutions across the country.
Services Offered: The skilling programmes cover diverse fields such as pollution monitoring (air/water/soil), Sewage Treatment Plant, Effluent Treatment Plants and Common Effluent Treating Plants (STP/ETP/CETP) operation, waste management, forest management, water budgeting, auditing, conservation of river dolphins, wildlife management, Para-taxonomy, including Peoples’ Biodiversity Register (PBRs), mangroves conservation, bamboo management and livelihood generation. The duration of the courses ranges from 80 hours to 560 hours approx.
Significance: The programme helps to develop green skilled workers having technical knowledge and commitment to sustainable development. It will also help in the attainment of the Nationally Determined Contributions, Sustainable Development Goals, National Biodiversity Targets.
Achievements
The first GSDP course was formulated for skilling Biodiversity Conservationists (Basic Course) and Para-taxonomists (Advance Course) of 3 months duration each, on a pilot basis in ten select districts of the country. More than 90 trainees successfully completed the basic course qualifying as skilled Biodiversity Conservationists and 152 Trainees completed the Advanced Course qualifying as skilled Para-taxonomists as of 2021.
