Officials from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Wednesday visited two key skill development and women empowerment initiatives of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) – Kaushalyam (Lighthouse) project in Nigdi and Sakhi Angan project near Akurdi railway station.
Devashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, led the delegation, which included Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Verma; PCMC Commissioner Amit Saini; Director, Directorate of Vocational Education and Training, Maharashtra, Madhavi Sardeshmukh; Regional Director Chengoty Murthy; PCMC additional commissioners Trupti Sandbhor and Vikrant Bagade; Mamta Shinde, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Social Development; public relations officer Prafull Puranik; and administrative officer Anita Baviskar. Women from self-help groups, social workers and local citizens were also present.
The officials inspected the Kaushalyam (Lighthouse) project in Nigdi, jointly implemented by the Social Development Department of the PCMC and the Lighthouse Foundation. They reviewed the skills training programs being conducted for youth and women and interacted with the participants to understand their experiences related to employment opportunities, skill development and increasing self-confidence, according to a civic press release.
Participants said the project offers skills training aligned with industry requirements, leading to job opportunities. Women trainees, in particular, said the initiative had motivated them to overcome career challenges after marriage and re-enter the workforce. Officials appreciated the progress made by the participants and noted that the project was proving effective in generating skill-based employment.
Later, the delegation visited the Sakhi Angan project run by women self-help groups near Akurdi railway station. The complex consists of 49 stalls where women directly manufacture, process, package and sell food and non-food products. Items sold include breakfast and lunch foods, papads, pickles, spices, ready-to-eat products, bakery items, handicrafts, decorative items, cloth bags, incense sticks and cosmetics.
Implemented by the Social Development Department of the PCMC, the Sakhi Angan project enables women’s self-help groups to directly access consumers, eliminating middlemen and increasing financial benefits. The initiative also offers practical training in financial transactions, marketing, customer interaction and business management, leading many participants to become job-creating entrepreneurs. Officials said the project was proving to be an effective model for women’s empowerment.
Kaushalyam and Sakhi Angan’s initiatives go beyond training and sales to serve as sustainable models for job creation and women entrepreneurship by focusing on industry-linked skill development, direct market access and financial self-reliance. The Municipal Corporation is working to scale up such initiatives in coordination with the central and state governments to empower more youth and women, said PCMC municipal commissioner Shravan Hardikar.