Germany has pledged Rs 22.6 crore to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship Skill India programme to enhance industry institute partnerships between the two countries. A joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and German International Cooperation (GIZ), to initiate the new project focused on adapting elements of the German dual system in select industrial clusters in India, a release said.

“This new project will run for three years starting August 2016 with a budget of EUR 3,000,000 (Rs 22.6 crore) made available by the German Government and aims to foster conditions which will help create and improve cooperative workplace-based vocational training in India’s industrial clusters,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The funds will be used under the project in the various sectors, including the automobile sector in Maharashtra, the electronics sector in Bangalore. The Ministry stated that German technical assistance will be used to enhance industry institute partnerships between Indian and German organizations, build the capacity of local training institutions and foster industry linkages which will help adapt elements of the German dual system, into the Indian context.

The project will be implemented under the umbrella of the ‘Joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Skill Development and Vocational Education and Training (VET)’, signed during the Indo- German intergovernmental consultations on 5th October 2015 in New Delhi. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “This partnership with Germany will help strengthen our skill development initiatives. The recent budget allocations that have been made for promoting apprenticeship programs in the country will help our plans see daylight," Rohit Nandan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said.

The Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, earlier in August had announced the upgradation of training imparted in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), syllabus and curriculum in India.