Under the "Skill Punjab" program to train the youth of state, the Punjab Government has decided to set up 50 skill training colleges for girls besides 2,000 skill training centers at the village level in the State.This was decided in a high level meeting held here which was presided over by Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and attended by Union food processing minister Harsimrat Badal and Cabinet ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Sikander Singh Maluka and Surjit Singh Rakhra.
The new girl colleges will to be governed by the Panjab University, Punjabi University, Guru Nanak Dev University and will run short term courses. Each college will be opened at a cost of Rs. 20 Lakh for 300 students each by enabling them to launch their startups, self–employment ventures or setup their own units to become entrepreneurs and job providers.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said under the ‘Skill India Mission’, the State government had chalked out various short term courses ranging from one month to three months duration for unemployed girls to become self-reliant by establishing shops/units leading to the empowerment of rural women.
Mr Badal said the state universities would design such courses/training programmes in consultation with the departments of Industry and Commerce, Technical Education and Industrial Training, Labour, Agriculture and Food Processing. He asked the Chief Secretary to supervise in devising, designing and selection of short term courses with the help of various departments and training institutes in consultation with requirement of different types of industries.
Deputy CM informed that under the ‘Skill Punjab’ programme, State government would also setup 2000 skill centres adjoining the already established sewa kendras in rural areas to impart training in skill oriented short term courses/modules for rural youth in a cluster of 4-5 villages. He said the aim of this initiative was to help the youth to become self reliant and making them part of growth oriented activities undertaken by the State.
He announced that State would provide all help to the trainees by arranging them loans from commercial banks. Mr Badal said the state would also set up sales counters for the entrepreneurs and self help groups (SHGs) at tehsil complexes, hospitals and other existing government or other buildings/complexes to help them in the marketing of products.
Union Minister Mrs Harsimrat Badal said the Food Industry Capacity and Skill Initiative (FICSI) was implementing this skill development scheme in the food processing sector and duly assisted by union food processing industries ministry. She added that skill courses in food processing, dairy, apparels and textiles would be setup in Malwa cotton belt as textile industry was in a dire need of skilled manpower. "There is also huge potential and scope for skilling people to be self employed and become employment creators rather than being employment seekers", she added.
Present in the meeting Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia offered three vacant buildings one each in three sub-divisions in his constituency to start skill development centres immediately and suggested to get such information from all elected representatives regarding vacant buildings or other availability of spaces if any in their constituencies in this regard.Among others present in the meeting included Rural Development Minister Sikandar Singh Malooka, Higher Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, secretaries of various departments and representatives of universities.