Gujarat Allocates ₹2,902 Crore for Skills, Jobs & Worker Welfare in Budget

In line with this commitment, a significant allocation of Rs 2,902 crore has been made for the Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department in the 2026-27 budget, Labour Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya announced on Saturday.

The Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO) stated that while addressing a press conference at the state Legislative Assembly, Bavaliya said the budget will play a vital role in realising the vision of 'Viksit Gujarat 2047' and contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national goals of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The Gujarat government has announced several new schemes and budget allocations aimed at strengthening skill development, employment opportunities, and labour welfare across the state.

The release stated that, under the Namo Gujarat Skill and Employment Mission, an allocation of Rs 226 crore has been made to enhance the employability of youth. The PM Setu Scheme has been allocated Rs 200 crore, under which Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) will be upgraded through a hub-and-spoke model to strengthen the state's skill training infrastructure. In addition, the government has earmarked Rs 40 crore for the Namo Kaushalya Laxmi Scheme, which seeks to encourage female students to pursue courses in ITIs. Under the scheme, female students will receive financial assistance of Rs 15,000 for one-year courses and Rs 24,000 for two-year courses.

The state government has also expanded several labour welfare initiatives. Under the Shramik Annapurna Yojana, Rs 200 crore has been allocated to open 300 new Annapurna booths, where workers will be able to receive meals at Rs 5. A sum of Rs 150 crore has been earmarked for the Shramik Basera Yojana, which aims to provide affordable accommodation for construction workers. Additionally, Rs 160 crore has been allocated to expand the Dhanvantari Arogya Rath programme, enabling the addition of 50 mobile health units to improve healthcare services for workers.

Further, under the accident insurance, in case of death or permanent disability of a construction worker, financial assistance of Rs 3.5 lakh will be provided. Agariya Housing Scheme has earmarked Rs 25 crore to provide housing equipped with solar panels and basic amenities for salt pan workers (Agariyas).

For workers suffering from Silicosis, the government will provide Rs 3 lakh at the time of diagnosis and Rs 4 lakh to the family in case of death.

The department also highlighted several key achievements. Gujarat currently has 559 operational ITIs with a total training capacity of 2,18,516 seats, including 11,448 seats reserved for women, and 15 dedicated ITIs for persons with disabilities. Under the 2025-26 employment drive, 2,60,878 candidates were provided job opportunities through 1,215 job fairs held across the state up to February 2026.

According to a 2023-24 survey, India's unemployment rate stands at 3.2 per cent, while Gujarat's rate is significantly lower at 1.1 per cent. The state has also established six drone pilot training centres approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. More than 600 drone pilots and 1,200 trainees in drone manufacturing have been trained by Kaushalya - The Skill University.

Under the Chief Minister Skill Development Initiative, a total of 4,27,861 trainees received skill training during 2025-26. Industrial growth has also been reflected in the rise in registered factories under the Factories Act, 1948, which increased from 50,017 in March 2025 to 51,033 by February 2026, marking an addition of 1,016 factories within a year.

During 2025, the Directorate of Boilers inspected and certified 8,447 boilers and 339 economisers, while 579 new boilers and 10 economisers were registered. No accidents were reported in certified boilers during the year.

The department also outlined its future targets aimed at strengthening the state's skill development framework. The government has plans to strengthen the skill ecosystem to achieve the long-term goal of Viksit Gujarat 2047. They are also providing skill training to more than 60,000 people over the next 4-5 years.

The press conference was attended by Minister of State for Rural Development Sanjaysinh Mahida, Rural Development Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi, Labour, Employment and Skill Development Secretary Lochan Sehra, Director of Employment and Training Nitin Sangwan, Labour Commissioner K D Lakhani, and other senior officials.

- ANI