Bhubaneswar, Nov. 4: Union minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises Giriraj Singh today blamed Jawaharlal Nehru for lack of skills among today's youths in the country.
"Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's faulty education policy is responsible for the lack of skills among youths in India," he said.
Singh was speaking as a guest at the two-day conference "Youth and Employment: The Role of Skill Initiatives" in Bhubaneswar today. He said Nehru's policies emphasised only on education and not on skills development. Blaming Nehru for following the education policy of Lord Macaulay, Singh said only 2.5 per cent of Indians were skilled whereas in developed nations the figure stood at 96 per cent.
He said that the Modi government was streamlining things to change the situation at the Centre as well as in Odisha.
Reacting sharply to the BJP leader's statements, state Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said Singh had no moral grounds to speak against a visionary of Nehru's stature.
The two-day national conference will focus on co-ordination of skills development efforts across the country, removal of the disconnect between demand and supply of skilled manpower, building vocational and technical training framework, skill up-gradation, developing new skills, and innovative thinking not only for existing jobs but also for creating jobs.
The event will have sessions and discussions by delegates from all across the country on possibilities and challenges in skill development of youths and job creation.
Experts from various institutes such as, including Chennai-based Anna University, National Petroleum University, Rai Bareli, and National Institute of Fashion Technology, Calcutta, are taking part in the conference. The conference will also focus on proper collaborations with relevant central ministries, state governments, international organisations, industry and NGOs for implementation of skill development efforts.
Singh also came down heavily on former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh and Mayawati. He dubbed them as "cancers" who pushed the state to extreme poverty.
"The public will give its verdict in the upcoming elections," Singh said.
