Arunachal: PM-NAPS-NER Awareness Workshop Held in Ziro
An awareness workshop on the PM-NAPS-NER pilot project was held in Lower Subansiri district, highlighting apprenticeship, skilling and employment opportunities for youth.
ZIRO- An awareness workshop-cum-mobilisation drive under the pilot project Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme–North East Region (PM-NAPS-NER) was conducted for Lower Subansiri district at Hotel Blue Pine in Ziro on Thursday.
Attending the programme as chief guest, Hibu Dumi, Zilla Parishad Chairperson of Lower Subansiri, emphasised that hard work, patience and passion are essential for youth to succeed. She said that earlier generations had limited exposure to structured skill development and employment guidance, but current initiatives by both the Centre and the state government are creating new opportunities for young people to become skilled and employed.
Appreciating the efforts of the Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Arunachal Pradesh (DSDE), Dumi said similar awareness programmes should be conducted at the grassroots level to ensure wider outreach. She urged the department to organise cluster-based workshops at the panchayat level so that welfare schemes reach every deserving unemployed youth.
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Speaking as guest of honour, Hage Tarung, Sub-Divisional Officer, Ziro, said the government is taking focused steps towards skilling and employment generation. He noted that changing times have expanded opportunities beyond conventional career paths and encouraged youth to consider vocational trades and self-employment options. He also stressed the importance of dignity of labour, sincerity and honesty.
Describing the workshop as informative, Tarung advised young participants to set career goals early, acquire relevant skills and begin earning at an early stage if higher education or government employment is not their preferred path.
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During the technical session, Gyati Kacho, Deputy Director, DSDE, presented an overview of departmental initiatives, including the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the State Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (SAPS). She informed that under NAPS, apprentices receive a monthly stipend of ₹1,500, with an additional ₹1,500 for APST apprentices training outside the state. Employers provide stipends ranging from ₹6,800 to ₹12,300 per month, depending on qualifications.
Under SAPS, trainees receive ₹11,625 per month along with a one-time travel allowance of ₹5,000, resulting in an overall monthly earning of ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 during apprenticeship periods of one to two years.
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Tonuruchi Olimman, DSDE Consultant, briefed participants on the Chief Minister’s Soft Loan Scheme (CMSLS) and the Foreign Language Training Programme with overseas placement options. Under CMSLS, ITI pass-outs are eligible for loans up to ₹3 lakh, along with incentives for tools and equipment and interest and repayment subsidies. Under the language training programme, the state government bears 70 per cent of training-related costs and facilitates loans for the remaining amount.
Representatives of empanelled third-party aggregators also provided information on available job roles, vacancies and training locations. Dedicated stalls were set up to offer on-the-spot counselling and registration for interested candidates.
The workshop saw participation from ITI Manipolyang trainees, students from St. Claret College and Indira Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University, members of NGOs, the Apatani Youth Association, the Apatani Students’ Union, and unemployed youth from across the district. Officials said similar awareness programmes will be organised in Leparada and Papum Pare districts as part of DSDE’s broader outreach efforts.
