Maha governor underlines need for skill development of youth

He was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a Maharashtra State Skill University building and an industrial training institute at Panvel in Navi Mumbai.The Skill India Mission launched by the government aims to create a skilled workforce for employment.

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais on Monday appealed to corporates, educational institutions, industries and other agencies to support the state government in its effort to develop skills among youths. He was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a Maharashtra State Skill University building and an industrial training institute at Panvel in Navi Mumbai.

''The Skill India Mission launched by the government aims to create a skilled workforce for employment. The mission aims to skill over 40 crore people and enhance their employability by training them in skills of their choice. A skilled human resource is essential for inclusive growth but government agencies and systems alone cannot accomplish this task,'' the governor said. He said the private sector, industry, corporates, NGOs, and educational institutions having experience in skill training will also have to partner in the process of skilling.

The governor said the demand for products made up of bamboo, bamboo furniture, and honey, is increasing in the world.

''There is a need to provide training to tribal people in marketing, branding and packaging of their products. Kaushal Vishwavidyalaya should also take initiative in this field. This will give them good income from forest produce,'' he said.

The governor appealed to skill universities to design innovative courses for women so that the participation of women in the workforce will increase further.

''India was the skill capital of the world three centuries ago. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Skill India campaign on July 15, 2015, in which he pledged to make 400 million people from all over India skilled under this campaign,'' he added.

The governor said India has emerged as the youngest country in the world.

''Today, the average age of people in India is 29 years. People from many countries of the world are getting older than our young population. The demographic dividend is definitely in our favour today.

In this perspective, we have to develop the capability and preparedness to provide skilled manpower to the whole world and make our youth skilful,'' Bais said.

He said the youth should change their mindset to prefer jobs near their home, village, or in their residential cities.

He said many universities are producing only educated unemployed youth and there is a dire need to change this picture.

''Recently, in the Davos Global Investors Conference, Maharashtra Government signed MoUs with 19 companies for an investment of Rs 1.37 lakh crore. Under this, we will have to provide adequate skills to our youth so that most of the employment opportunities coming in the state are available to them,'' the governor said.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said we should emerge as the factory of India by using the favourable demographic dividend and ultimately replace China.

''We should grab the opportunity of the exodus (of companies) from China and build our own skills. Our aim should be to grow as a trillion-dollar economy for which only production is not sufficient. Supportive human skills are also needed,'' he said.

Fadnavis said a start-up hub will be set up in the region soon besides sub-centres of the Skills University.

''In addition to the manufacturing sector, the service sector is also growing at a rapid pace and we cannot afford to ignore the same,'' he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)