Terming technical education as the future hope for youth in terms of employability and job avenues, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said her Government is laying a network of skill enhancing institutes in the State to make youth employable in the job market of coming times.Addressing a largely attended public meeting after inaugurating a Polytechnic College here today, the Chief Minister said tourism and skill development are the two areas of economy which hold a definite promise of job avenues for the youth. Sensing this, she said, her Government has given technical education a thrust and a network of ITIs and Polytechnic are being set up across the State to prepare a skilled workforce for coming times.Mehbooba Mufti said with the State opening to a developmental and infrastructural revolution technically trained local manpower would be in huge demand as the projects would commence. Additionally, she said, once trained youth from these polytechnics could even have better job prospects outside the State and the country where also the demand for skilled workforce is growing by each day.
On the occasion, Mehbooba Mufti went round various sections of the Polytechnic and interacted with the faculty. The Polytechnic College comprises 16 laboratories, four workshops and two drawing halls. The college would be having an intake capacity of 120 students and it has come up at a cost of Rs. 12 crore.The Chief Minister also inaugurated Polytechnic Colleges of similar specifications at Kathua and Samba through online mode. She also laid the foundation of Polytechnic Colleges at Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur through online mode.Mehbooba Mufti interacted with the respective Deputy Commissioners and public representatives and asked them to complete the works at the earliest. Mehbooba Mufti said Reasi has a lot of scope to develop local tourism, particularly religious tourism. She said with the rail link coming to Katra and its subsequent linkage to Banihal would make it an important tourist halt point which can give the local economy a big boost.Responding to the local demands, the Chief Minister said the place is not new to her and she is well aware about the developmental needs of the people of the area. She announced that the old hospital in the town would be well equipped in terms of human resource and equipment so that people continue to get benefit from it. She also announced that the local Sulabh Park would be developed and properly maintained.
Earlier, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation of an indoor stadium at Reasi. To be built at a cost of Rs 4 crore, the stadium would have facilities for playing all indoor games like badminton, basketball, table tennis, athletics etc. The Chief Minister directed completion of the stadium within a year so that the local youth can benefit from the facility at the earliest.In his address, Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh said the present Government has laid a network of Polytechnics and it is to impart technical education to young people. Through this network, he hoped, the local and traditional trades in the State are preserved and revived. He said the present Government truly represents the unity of aspirations of people of all regions of the State.Minister for Technical Education, Youth Services & Sports, Moulvi Imran Raza Ansari while speaking on the occasion hoped that the setting up of these technical institutes in the State would prove game changers for the youth of the State.
Also, he said the Chief Minister has directed to construct an indoor stadium in every district of the State. He said his Department is planning to introduce vocational training exclusive for women soon.Minister of State for Technical Education, Priya Sethi in her address said that empowerment of youth is on the priority of the present Government. She said the development agenda laid out by the coalition Government is being implemented all across the State in letter and spirit.Earlier, Minister of State for Finance & Planning, Ajay Nanda, who also represents Reasi in the State Assembly, welcomed the Chief Minister for her visit to the area.Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr Mandeep Bhandari; Secretary, Technical Education, Sanjeev Verma; IGP, Jammu zone, S D Singh Jamwal; Secretary, Youth Services & Sports, Hilal Parray; several heads of Department, officers of district administration and a large number of people were present on the occasion.