Govt’s nod to set up of Indian Institute of Skills in PPP model

New Delhi: With the NDA government bullish on imparting skill development training for the youth, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a scheme for setting up of Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) at different locations across the country in public private partnership (PPP).

The Cabinet also cleared the proposal of setting up of Appellate Tribunal and Adjudicating Authority for speedy disposal of cases related to benami transactions.

This was informed by minister for electronics and information technology and law & justice Ravishankar Prasad in a press conference. The PPP model will be explored for promotion of IIS at selected locations based on demand and available infrastructure.

The setting up of IISs would augment the global competitiveness of key sectors of Indian economy by providing high quality skill training, applied research education and a direct and meaningful connection with industry,  official sources said.

“It will provide opportunity to aspiring youth across the country to have access to highly skilled training, and enhance the scope of accountability through its linkage with industry and global competitiveness across sectors,” they added.

By leveraging advantages of private sector enterprise and public capital in terms of government land, it would create new institutes of expertise, knowledge and competitiveness.

Meanwhile regarding the Union Cabinet's decision of setting up of an Appellate Tribunal and Adjucating Authority, the minister said that the government had notified sessions courts in 34 states and union territories, which will act as special courts for trial of offences under the benami transaction law.

Benami transaction refe-rs transactions made in a fictitious name, or the ow-ner is not aware of the ow-nership of the property, or the person paying for the property is not traceable.

Official sources said that the Adjudicating Auth-ority and Appellate Tribu-nal will be based in the National Capital Terri-tory of Delhi (NCTD).

Benches of Adjudicating Authority may sit in Ko-lkata, Mumbai and Che-nnai, and the necessary notification in this regard will be issued after consultation with the chairperson of the proposed Adjudicating Authority.

"The approval will result in effective and better administration of cases referred to the Adjudicating Authority and speedy disposal of appeals filed against the order of the Adjudicating Authority before the Appellate Tribunal," they informed further.

The appointment of the Adjudicating Authority, it added, would provide first stage review of administrative action under the the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPT) Act.