Ramesh Kumar Kannauje of Mamabhancha village was born with a disability in both legs. He cannot stand on his own. But he refused to let that define his life. Under the Mukhyamantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, he took free tailoring training. For about four months, he travelled nearly 10 km each day to attend classes. He completed the course, earned a certificate and set up a small stitching unit at home. Using a motorised machine, he stitches blouses, suits, school uniforms and petticoats. Demand has grown so much that he sometimes struggles to handle all the orders alone. He now earns about 8,000 to 10,000 rupees a month. He has also received a battery operated vehicle, which makes daily travel and work easier. For Ramesh, disability is no longer a barrier. It is a source of drive.
This is more than a success story. It is a model for inclusive livelihoods. Skill training gives people a tool to earn. When the training is free, local and linked to a certificate, it lowers the entry barrier. When a stipend or travel support is available, it reduces the drop out risk. When a job or a small business follows, it turns a course into a career. For persons with disabilities, the gain is even larger. Work from home options like tailoring reduce mobility constraints. Regular income builds confidence and social standing. The Chief Minister Kaushal Vikas Yojana aims to do exactly this. Ramesh’s experience shows how a scheme can change a life when it reaches the right person with the right support.
Why does this matter at scale. Chhattisgarh has thousands of young people with disabilities who can work if given a chance. Tailoring, mobile repair, food processing, data entry and handicrafts are all viable paths. When even a fraction of them become self employed, the aggregate effect is significant. Households gain a second income. Women with disabilities gain agency. Stigma falls when neighbours see a person with a disability running a busy shop. The state’s push on service and welfare under Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai fits this narrative. Skill, jobs and dignity are three sides of the same coin.
The real test will be reach and aftercare. Will training centres be accessible in design and location so that persons with disabilities can attend without strain. Will courses match local market demand so that graduates find customers or employers. Will post training support, such as tool kits, micro credit and marketing help, be available so that a certificate does not become a dead end. Will battery operated vehicles and other aids be provided quickly so that mobility does not limit work. And will the scheme track outcomes, not just enrollments, so that success is measured by income earned, not just certificates issued. If these pieces fall into place, Kaushal Vikas can become a ladder for thousands like Ramesh.
For Ramesh, the change is tangible. His hands now feed his family. His home is a workplace. His day has purpose. That is the true measure of this push: not just the courses run, but the lives lifted and the barriers broken.
