Sikkim govt sets up board to facilitate overseas employment for youth

GANGTOK: The Sikkim government has constituted a board to train youth and facilitate ethical and remunerative employment opportunities in foreign countries, officials said on Saturday. The Foreign Employment and Recruitment Facilitation Board has been set up under the Skill Development Department, they said.

The board aims to create a robust institutional mechanism to support mobilisation, training and placement of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled youth from Sikkim for overseas employment, they added. MLA Madan Cintury, who is also the advisor to the Skill Development Department, will head the five-member board.

The Skill Development Secretary will be among its members, while one member will be nominated by the state government as a domain expert. The board will formulate policies, frameworks and strategies to promote safe, lawful and ethical overseas employment, according to a notification issued by Chief Secretary R Telang on February 5.

It will facilitate international placements through partnerships with empanelled recruitment agencies registered with the Protector General of Emigrants under the Ministry of External Affairs, the notification said.

Skill development, foreign language training

The board will also oversee mobilisation, counselling, skill development and foreign language training of prospective candidates through empanelled training partners. In addition, it will supervise placement, migration support and post-placement assistance, besides facilitating employer engagement, recruitment drives and MoUs with foreign agencies.

The notification further stated that the board will ensure pre-departure orientation, awareness on safe migration and counselling on rights, obligations, and working and living conditions abroad, in coordination with training partners and recruitment agencies under the supervision of Niyukti Kendra.

A grievance redressal mechanism for emigrants will also be established. The board will be empowered to take necessary steps for complaint resolution, provide repatriation assistance, and initiate corrective action against erring recruitment agencies or employers.