Congress leader K.C. Venugopal. File.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, chaired by senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, on Friday (February 20, 2026) criticised the government for what members described as “lackadaisical” implementation of the Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) scheme, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
The panel was examining a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that highlighted significant delays and shortfalls in both financial and physical progress under the scheme. According to the CAG, only 44% of the budgeted provision for SANKALP was disbursed between 2017‑18 and 2023‑24 (as of October 2023), reflecting persistent underutilisation of funds. The audit also flagged weak adherence to implementation guidelines and a sluggish pace of execution across components.
Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in October 2017 with a total outlay of ₹4,455 crore, SANKALP was designed to strengthen short‑term skill training through better institutional frameworks, enhanced industry linkages, and targeted inclusion of marginalised communities. The scheme was slated to be financed through a World Bank loan of ₹3,300 crore, State leverage of ₹660 crore, and industry leverage of ₹495 crore.
Launched in January 2018, SANKALP was originally scheduled for completion by March 2023 but was later extended to March 2024. Against the first tranche of the agreed World Bank loan of $250 million, the institution disbursed ₹1,606.15 crore (86%), but the Ministry utilised only ₹850.71 crore as of December 2023.
The CAG attributed part of the delay to “non‑preparedness” within the Ministry before the commencement of the loan period. PAC members echoed this assessment during Friday’s meeting, questioning the government over the absence of a central monitoring mechanism and gaps in due diligence.
Several MPs also noted the failure to present a clear plan for integrating skilling into the school curriculum from primary to higher secondary levels despite this being a key expectation linked to improving long‑term employability outcomes.
Published – February 20, 2026 09:58 pm IST
