Chief minister Raghubar Das hands over a certificate to Anushka Priya during the function in Ranchi on Thursday. Picture by Hardeep Singh
Chief minister Raghubar Das revived Jharkhand Skill Development Mission on Thursday to prepare a pool of trained, employment-worthy youths and announced a meeting with corporates and PSUs in the first week of February to ensure their active involvement.
'JSDM was formed a year and a half back on the lines of the Centre's skill development scheme. But, it was lying defunct. I have now asked my officials to make it functional on priority,' the chief minister said at a function where certificates were given out to members of a pilot batch of Ranchi University students who have completed the national university skill development programme.
Das said his government had taken up skill development on priority and the February meeting of industry leaders would help prepare a roadmap.
'We are calling all industries to understand their requirements. 'We will provide manpower and talent, you just come and set up shop here', is what we are telling them,' he said, adding that in the 2016-17 budget, special provision will be made on skill development programmes in schools from class five and above.
State planning and development department secretary A.K. Singh maintained that as per 2011 census, 32 per cent of the state's population was between 18-35 years. In terms of numbers, that worked out to about 1.10 crore. These youths, he explained, lacked proper skills.
'In a month or so, the state will launch a dedicated website for skill development. Work has already begun. It will be an interactive website that will link both job-seeker and the recruiter on one platform,' Singh said.
About 200 NSS volunteers of Ranchi Women's College and Marwari College were awarded certificates on Thursday.
Ranchi University vice chancellor L. N. Bhagat said the two colleges were among 29 chosen from across India to join a Centre-sponsored programme on skill development, the curriculum of which was prepared by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
'The novel scheme aims to make youths job-ready. It's an add-on course, which one can do along with regular studies. This year, two more colleges will be included in the programme,' Bhagat said.
