SSB to train trafficking victims, border population under skill mission

Team Udayavani, Jul 11, 2017, 4:08 PM IST

New Delhi : Frontier guarding force SSB has begun a unique programme to engage and train victims of human traffickingand unemployed youth living along the Indo-Nepal border areas in acquiring self-employment skills.

The force, that is tasked to guard the 1,751-km long and open border, has begun a three month skill development training programme at its recruit training centre (RTC) in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The programme was launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on July 9 at the RTC.

Experts and trainers of the Sashastra Seema Bal posted at the RTC in Gorakhpur, close to the Indo-Nepal border, will impart training to the target groups like the victims of human trafficking who were rescued by the force personnel, local unemployed youth, school dropouts, retired force personnel living in the area and others in obtaining skills for trades like tailoring, mobile repairing and salesmanship, a senior SSB official said.

The official said the aim of initiating the border skill training centres is to wean away youth and others from indulging in anti-social activities and to help them earn a livelihood by providing them some basic skills of various trades.

The project is part of the memorandum of understanding signed by the force sometime back with the skill development ministry, as part of a national programme to create a skilled workforce in the country.

“The training will be imparted under two types of programmes, first being recognition of prior learning (RPL) for in-service personnel and second will be for fresh skilling,” SSB Director General Archana Ramasundaram said. The SSB, she said, is the first force to implement the skill training MoU on ground by beginning from a border area.

The Lucknow frontier of the paramilitary force, that comprises Gorakhpur, has registered 15 human trafficking incidents and rescued 36 women and a man and apprehended 16 people for indulging in this cross-border crime. The force works under the command of the Union home ministry.