District magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal on Thursday distributed certificates to 89 youths who succesfully completed training for self-employment.

Sixty-two of the 89 youths who completed training from Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (RSETI) are female and 27 male.

Punjab National Bank (PNB) runs RSETI in Gaya under corporate social responsibility (CSR) on instructions from Union ministry of rural development. The district magistrate assured the youths help in establishing their own business. The administration, police and the bank are trying to inspire youths from Maoist areas to join the training programme. The idea is to bring them into the mainstream.

Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 159 battalion commandant Dhirendra Verma and PNB Gaya circle head Binay Kumar Singh appealed to make the programme popular so that most youths benefit. The youth have completed training in dressmaking, stitching, incense stick-manufacture and masonry. The next batch would be trained in carpentry, painting and haircutting.

Those getting trained will also get priority if there is a requirement matching their qualification in any department. Earlier, youths had been trained in motor vehicle driving, motor repair, stitching and as beautician.

RSETI director Samar Nath Sinha said the Union rural development ministry, in 2009, asked banks to start self-employment training programme for rural youths. PNB started the institute in Belaganj block, where around 4,600 youths have been trained for free. The programme duration varies from 6-45 days. No formal qualification is required. Beneficiaries should just be literate.