India needs skill policy for every state; higher wages for contract labours: Experts

Measures such as formulating skill policy for every state, creation of centre for excellence and significantly increasing wages of contract labour will help India become skill capital of the world, according to experts. T V Mohandas Pai, Chairman Manipal Global Education, said there is also a need to formulate skill policy for every region and invite overseas trainers in the country.

"We need to make sure that skilled people get more salary. They should get 125-150 per cent more from minimum wages," he said here at a Global Skills Summit on Friday. Odisha Skill Development Authority Chairman Subroto Bagchi said there is a need to set benchmarks like world skill competition.

Skill accreditation should be linked with benchmarks, he said, adding the state is setting up World Skill Centre in Bhubaneswar. Speaking on the subject, Karnataka Skill Development Authority Chairman Anup K Pujari said the state government is taking several steps to enhance skilled manpower.

"There is a need to respect every skill. We need to adopt and adapt best skills," Pujari said. The central government had launched a National Skill Development Mission in 2015 to create convergence across sectors and states in terms of skill training activities.