Inaugurating the RSETI Diwas here, Shri Ramesh said, consolidation rather than expansion should be the main aim of the programme. He said, the training facilities should be amalgamated rather than having a RSETI in each district of the country and suggested that five districts could share training facilities as getting good trainers is a difficult task.
The RSETI model was adopted by the Centre encouraged by the successful RUDSETI (Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute) model initiated in 1982 in Ujire, Karnataka, by SDME Trust in partnership with Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank for promoting entrepreneurship amongst rural youth.
At present, 566 RSETIs are functioning across the country and the training model includes short term training for market-linked entrepreneurship development followed by continuous hand holding support with bank linkages. Shri Ramesh said that if there was a problem in acquiring land for setting up training institutes in the States, the same can be done in rented premises. He also lauded the banks for their improved performance this year and expressed the hope that the banks would take these initiatives to higher levels.
The Minister suggested an independent evaluation of the performance of the RSETIs and acknowledged the role of the RSETIs in creating in situ employment, particularly in regions where employment in organized sector is limited. He asked the banks to focus on quality of training.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri L C Goyal, Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development said that importance of rural non-farm activity is increasing day by day. He said, the demographic dividend is being exploited by the RSETIs fully and they are becoming instrument of transformation of the rural youth. He stated that the Ministry of Rural Development attaches high priority to this movement and expressed a desire that RSETIs should have convergence with other flagship programmes of Ministry of Rural Development and other Ministries. He also expressed hope that each RSETI should inculcate the best practices which are cherished by the Chairman, RUDSETI, Dr. Veerendra Heggade.
Dr. Veerendra Heggade, the force behind the entire RSETI movement thanked the co-sponsor banks Syndicate Bank and Carana Bank in reposing faith in him and supporting him in this initiative. He thanked the Government of India for converting a small initiative started in 1982 to a national movement. The CMD Syndicate Bank and CMD Canara Bank, the co promoters of RUDSETI movement, also spoke on the occasion and rededicated their banks to the furtherance of the objectives of RSETI. They promised to do everything possible to ensure that trainees from these RSETIs do get credit linkage seamlessly.
