Ensuring employment for trained youth govt’s priority, says minister

The Minister of State for Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Gaurav Gautam, said the primary objective of the Skill Development and Industrial Training Department is to ensure that trained youths secure dignified employment.

“Providing job opportunities to youths after they have completed training from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and other institutions is the responsibility of the government and the department, and this responsibility is being carried out in a systematic manner,” said Gautam, while chairing a review meeting in Panchkula with the Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of universities, and other officials associated with ITIs.

Officers posted at the headquarters should be assigned responsibility for individual districts, he said, adding that these officers will visit ITIs to assess the structural fitness of buildings and prepare reports on dilapidated structures. This will enable construction of new buildings where necessary. He said the department’s efforts to provide overseas placement opportunities should be intensified so that the state’s youth can showcase their talent on the international stage. Overseas placement schemes should be widely publicised to ensure maximum participation by the youth, he added.

The minister instructed officials to conduct regular reviews of placement data received from companies participating in Rozgar Melas across the state and directed them to complete academic, administrative and infrastructure-related works on priority to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the Skill Department’s mission.

Gautam directed the officials concerned to ensure that all key schemes, including the Saksham Yuva Yojana, flagship schemes and the Guru–Shishya Scheme, be completed within their stipulated timeframes. He applauded the dual training system, saying it significantly enhances the youth’s employability by equipping them with both technical knowledge and practical experience.