Finding certified plumbers, painters will be a breeze
BENGALURU:The state government has stepped in with an online tool to provide government-certified and police-verified registered skilled labourers to help you set up or even carry out repairs in your house. This worker pool will include carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, mechanics, surveyors, welders, mason and so on.
While there are mobile apps already offering such services through start-ups, the major concern is whether the background of the workers sent to carry out the works have been verified fool-proof, or even whether they are certified to do what they have been sent to do.
Now, thanks to the Karnataka Vocational Training and Skill Development Corporation, a web portal — developed by Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (KEONICS) — will soon be launched to help users find various government-certified skilled labour at their door steps to put their houses in order.
This is expected to help citizens safely find skilled labour to enter their homes without having to bother about security concerns. “This apart, the bonafides of the workers will be verified by the local police and identity numbers along with the photo identity cards linked to Aadhaar data will be issued. Since they are police verified, they can be tracked,’’ Skill Development Secretary Amlan Aditya Biswas told Express. So far, the department has trained over 4,000 people across the state.
Biswas said each of the certified labourers will be given a smart card that will have a Global Positioning System (GPS) tag. “We are developing the portal through KEONICS. Users, be they house owners or builders, can log in to our portal, select the service he/she is looking for and then upload their residential location. Based on their location, the portal will give an option of labourers who are within 10-km radius. The customer can call directly to speak with the skilled worker to negotiate the rates,’’ he said.
As far as the skilled labour is concerned, Biswas said, “One can choose the training according to his interest. It will be three to five months’ training, depending on the nature of work. Once it is done, they will be given a test (practical) and then a certificate.’’
As of now, training will be given in 17 different skills. The skilled work force will also be given a book from the department. Every time they complete a work, be it in an individual house or a flat, the worker can take their feedback which will also act as endorsement for their future works.
The address or contact number of the house owner can also be mentioned in the book. After the course, every individual candidate will be given full scale kit and protective gear. They also have plans to approach builders and various government departments to hire these skilled labour force for their works.
“With our certificates, the workers can approach builders or individual house owners constructing buildings near their locations. This will also ensure these labourers get jobs near their location of residence and ensure that they do not have to move to another locality and disturb their children’s schooling,’’ he added.