Green Skill Development Programme [GSDP]

In 2018, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) established the Green Skill Development Program [GSDP] to assist young Indians in finding meaningful employment or self-employment in the environment and forest sectors. 

The program aims to produce green-trained professionals with technical skills and a commitment to long-term development.

Significance of GSDP

India, the world's second-most populous country, has a gigantic workforce.

However, due to high school dropout rates and a lack of occupational skills, receiving the benefit of demographic dividend may be challenging. 

At all levels of the environment or forest-related fields in India, there is a demand-supply mismatch in skill sets, both cognitive and practical.

Transitioning from an energy and emissions-intensive economy to cleaner, greener industrial and service patterns necessitates green capabilities. 

Furthermore, GSDP educates people about green jobs that help maintain or repair the environment while simultaneously enhancing human well-being and social equity. 

As a result, Green Skill Development Program initiatives will incorporate process-based green skills such as waste monitoring and management, energy efficiency, impact mitigation, and evaluation, among other things.

How is Green Skill Development Program Implemented?

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) implements GSDP through a vast network of established ENVIS centres. 

• The MoEF&CC has been running the Environmental Information System (ENVIS), a Central Sector Scheme, since 1982-83. 
• ENVIS aids in policy formulation and environmental management at all levels of government.
• Also, it helps in decision-making aimed at environmental protection and improvement to sustain a high quality of life for all living beings.
• Moreover, ENVIS provides scientific, technical, and semi-technical information on a wide range of environmental issues.
• ENVIS is a decentralized network of 66 centres across the country.
• Thirty-one centres deal with "State of the Environment and Related Issues.” State Government/UT Administrations host these centres known as ENVIS Hubs.
• Environment-related governmental and non-governmental organizations or institutions of professional excellence, known as ENVIS Resource Partners, hosts the remaining 35 centres.

Following the success of a pilot program held in 2017, MoEF&CC decided to extend the program to include the entire country. As a result, the first batch of courses started in February 2018. 

The course centres are spread throughout ten zones- Northern, North Central, Central, West Central, East Central, North Eastern, Southern, Western, Eastern, and South-Eastern. 

To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the program, MoEF&CC strives to identify:

• New courses based on market demand
• New Institutes with the needed expertise
• New job opportunities

Courses offered through Green Skill Development Programme

Some popular courses under the GSDP are:

• Para-Taxonomy
• Pollution monitoring
• ETP operation
• Waste management
• Forest management
• River dolphin conservation

Some popular courses under the category of “self-employment” are:

• Establishment of a community seed bank
• Wild beekeeping
• Clothes bag for income generation and livelihood
• Solar energy system
• Sustainable ambassadors
• Landscaping, nursery management, water recycling, and entrepreneurship 

Master Trainers in Green Skill Development Program

To scale up the GSDP, the Ministry aims to train a pool of Master Trainers who can train youth across the country. 

As a result, the Ministry focused on building a pool of master trainers in each of the courses mentioned above in the first place. 

In the initial months, graduates in Science/Arts who meet the program's requirements were trained to be master trainers.

The duration of each course varies from course to course, and it determines the frequency with which each program is run in a year.

The Indian job market is expanding day by day. Skill development is, therefore, necessary to satisfy this growing demand.

Moreover, the program also aims to educate young people, unable to finish their education due to various financial or societal obstacles.

Trainees in this program may also receive experience in animal conservation, nurseries, horticulture, waste management, forest management, pollution monitoring, and other fields, which will help them to associate with state government ministries of environment and forests.

FAQs on Green Skill Development Program

Q.1. Which Ministry implements Green Skill Development Program?

Recognizing the need for environmentally skilled young people, the MoEF&CC designs and implements the Green Skill Development Program (GSDP) in partnership with the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

Q.2. How are courses offered through Green Skill Development Program?

MoEF&CC, through Green Skill Development Program, provides various courses through ENVIS Hubs, ENVIS Resource Partners, and collaborated institutions/entities. 

Q.3. How are the courses offered through Green Skill Development Program funded?

MoEF&CC uses the funding received by ENVIS to fund courses under GSDP.

Q.4. What is the Green Skill Development Program?

The Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) is an initiative for skill development in the environment and forest sector to enable Indian youth.