Delhi, December 26: The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) Kundli has been selected as a Project Implementing Agency (PIA) by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to implement the scheme “PM VIKAS”.

In this regard, an MoU was signed with the Ministry by the Institute on 22nd December at New Delhi. The scheme is aimed at developing the capacity of youth from minority communities through targeted interventions by providing skill training support in need-based courses and ensuring employment /livelihood opportunities for them.

NIFTEM Kundli in Haryana is one of the few Institutes of National Importance (INI) selected as PIA for the scheme.

Under this project, NIFTEM-K will train a total of 2,110 beneficiaries from the minority community under three categories - Multi Skill Technician (Food Processing), Millet Products Processor and Assistant Baking Technician across seven locations in four states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana. This intervention seeks to enhance the employability of minority communities and create better livelihood opportunities by providing market and credit linkages to integrate them into the economic mainstream.

The project will provide NSQF (National Skills Qualification Framework) compliant skill training to the beneficiaries through NCVET (National Council of Vocational Education and Training) approved courses, and will facilitate placement of eligible skilled beneficiaries in some form of employment (wage employment, self-employment, or apprenticeship), including opportunities in the organized sector. All beneficiaries will receive certification from institutions approved by MSDE (Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) /NCVET. The programme is likely to be rolled out in January 2026.