Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 6 (HBTV): The Livelihood College in insurgency-hit Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh is emerging as a key initiative of the state government to connect tribal communities, victims of Naxal violence and surrendered Naxal cadres with sustainable employment opportunities.
The Livelihood College, which also provides residential facilities, offers training in a wide range of trades, including computer skills, sewing, driving, beauty parlour services and other vocational courses. The institute functions as a skill development centre aimed at making local youth employable and encouraging entrepreneurship, with thousands of candidates receiving training each year.
The college also organises innovation-focused initiatives such as the Dantewada Startup Hunt. The Vishnu Deo Sai-led Chhattisgarh government is extending budgetary support to strengthen skill development training through the institution.
Dantewada Collector Kunal Dudawat said the Livelihood College is helping all members of Naxal-affected families and surrendered Naxalites secure employment. He said candidates are counselled initially and then trained according to their interests in skills such as driving, security services, sewing, handicrafts, handloom work, welding and plumbing.
Dudawat said that after completing three months of training, candidates receive a stipend of INR 10,000. Several beneficiaries, including women, have expressed interest in starting their own businesses and are provided sewing machines to support self-employment. He added that placement camps are organised every three months to help trained individuals find jobs.
The college also conducts Computer Programming Assistant courses, which have seen a strong response. Dudawat said this training would help participants secure employment and improve their standard of living. He added that new courses are introduced based on market demand.
Principal of the Livelihood College Harish Kumar said the institute works closely with the district administration and police to identify victims of Naxal violence and surrendered cadres, followed by counselling and skill-based training. He said 65 people are currently undergoing training in driving, computers, sewing and beauty parlour skills, including surrendered Naxalites, their family members and individuals from Naxal-affected families.
Sewing trainer Sanju Netam said sewing training is being provided under a government scheme, and beneficiaries are given high-quality sewing machines after completing the course to help them start self-employment. Each batch consists of 30 to 35 trainees who undergo around 570 hours of training, learning to stitch garments such as children’s clothing, ladies’ wear, school uniforms, shirts and trousers.
One of the trainees, Sangeeta Karma, said the scheme had given her a new opportunity to rebuild her life. She said her two-month sewing training was nearing completion and that she would soon receive a sewing machine. She added that Naxalites had killed her father-in-law in 2016 and that the training had enabled her to acquire a valuable skill and earn a livelihood.
Another trainee, Ramji Aalmi, said her father was killed by Naxalites and her family had struggled since then. She said she learned about the sewing training through a relative and now hopes to open her own shop after gaining further experience.
Suraj Kumar, who enrolled in data entry operator training, said he joined the programme after learning that Naxal-affected individuals were being trained for employment. He said he had never used a computer earlier but had now learned skills such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, website creation and online work. He added that the government also provides free hostel facilities for trainees. (ANI)