Relevance: GS II (Governance & Government Policies) | Source: The Hindu / CAG Report

The SANKALP scheme is currently making headlines because the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament recently slammed the government for its “lackadaisical” (careless and slow) implementation of the project.

This heavy criticism came after the PAC examined a recent audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which exposed massive delays and wasted resources.

1. What is the SANKALP Scheme?

• The Full Name: Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP).
• The Main Goal: It is a major program by the Ministry of Skill Development to improve short-term skill training for the youth.
• The Money: It has a massive budget of ₹4,455 crore. A big chunk of this comes as a loan from the World Bank (₹3,300 crore).
• The Timeline: Started in 2018, it was supposed to end by March 2023 but got extended to March 2024.

2. The Big Problems (What the Audit Found)

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament recently scolded the government. They read a report by the main auditor (CAG) and found huge delays:

• Money Not Spent: In six years, the government spent only 44% of the total budget.
• Loan Wasted: The World Bank gave ₹1,606 crore, but the Ministry only used about half of it. The rest of the money is just sitting idle.
• Poor Planning: The CAG noted that the Ministry was simply “not ready” with a proper plan when the loan period started.

3. Key Issues Raised by the Committee

• No Checking System: There is no central system to check how the scheme is working on the ground across different states.
• Careless Attitude: Officials did not do proper background checks and did not follow the basic rules of the project.
• Missing School Link: The government failed to connect these skill programs with regular school education, which hurts the chances of long-term jobs for the youth.

UPSC Value Box

Key Fact	Simple Explanation for UPSC
PAC	The Public Accounts Committee is a group of Members of Parliament. Their main job is to check if the government is spending the public’s tax money properly.
CAG	The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is the top official who checks the government’s accounts and finds out where money is wasted.
SANKALP	A World Bank-supported scheme to boost the quality of short-term skill training in India.

Q. With reference to the SANKALP scheme and Parliamentary Committees in India, consider the following statements:

1. The SANKALP scheme is mainly funded through a loan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
2. The scheme aims to improve short-term skill training and help marginalized sections of society.
3. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examines the audit reports submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)

(Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect; the SANKALP scheme is supported by a loan from the World Bank, not the IMF. Statements 2 and 3 are correct facts about the scheme and the PAC’s constitutional role.)