Srinagar, June 24: The Minister for Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar, on Thursday asserted that skill development and training among youth was essential to address the “burning problem of unemployment” in the state.
 “There is lack of training everywhere, in every department. The government, ever since it took over the reigns of the state, is committed to address the burning problem of unemployment. We have already given rise to the Sher-e-Kashmir Employment Policy in this regard. However, it is important that our youth have proper training and are skilled enough to get a place in the employment arenas,” Sagar said, addressing academics and students at Kashmir University.
 He said in today’s world, just having degrees was not sufficient. “What matters is training and skill development,” Sagar said, adding, “The Rural Development Ministry has launched several initiatives and programmes to aware people about different Centrally-Sponsored schemes, which are aimed at betterment of the society.”
 Sagar was speaking at the Certificate Distribution Function, organized by Kashmir University’s Directorate of Lifelong Learning (DLL) in association with Department of Science and Technology, J&K Government.
 Sagar, who promised government’s all support to the University, said it was unfortunate that not many people knew about these schemes. “This year we have sanctioned Rs 75 crores to the Entrepreneurship Development Cell where aspirants would be provide Rs 5 lakh each to set up their own entrepreneurship units. We are committed to address the problem of unemployment for bright future of our youth, who matter to us the most,” he said, hailing the “vision, dynamism and direction” of the KU vice-chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi.
 He said: “It is not advisable to praise a person in front of him. However, honestly speaking Prof Punjabi has changed the face of the University with his vision, direction and leadership qualities. He has a very important role in all endeavors aimed at betterment of the future of our youth, and the state.”
 The Minister for Medical Education, R S Chib, said the state would have 100 more Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). “We presently have 55 ITIs in Jammu and Kashmir. But my department, under the able guidance of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, has asked the central government for 100 more to cover the uncovered areas where there are no such institutes,” Chib said, adding, “We have already set in motion the process of constructing 18 more polytechnic colleges in the state. We have earmarked land for them and the work on them shall start soon.”
 The KU vice-chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi, said the University was committed to empower youth in Jammu and Kashmir by way of skill development. “Skill up-gradation at different levels is essential,” he said, referring to England where, he added, “children of the age of 7 to 8 years start getting acquainted with skill development programmes.”
 Prof Punjabi called for having more employment opportunities for the youth.
 The DLL Director, Prof Neelofar Khan, highlighted the achievements and contributions of the Directorate. “It is our mission to reach out to the far off places with different skill based programmes,” she said, adding, “The directorate was committed to help solve the problem of unemployment by way of imparting quality skill-development education to the youth in remote areas.”
 The KU Registrar, Prof S Fayyaz Ahmad, highlighted the University’s endeavors in providing skill-based training to the aspirants.
 Later the trainees, who had participated in different DLL programmes, were honoured with certificates. Also the heads of the institutions, including colleges, ITIs and higher secondary schools, were given mementos for collaborating with DLL and supporting its endeavors.
 The KU counselor, Abdullah Danish, conducted the proceedings of the function.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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