Envisioning the state as a hub of ‘Skilled Manpower’, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that Punjab would become the first state in the country to realize ‘Skill India’ and ‘Make in India’ dream of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the state-of-the-art Multi Skill development centre set up by the Rahat-Bahra group here today, the Chief Minister said that these centers were the need of the hour for giving fillip to the overall development of the country on hand and eradicating the menace of unemployment on the other. He said that these centers were the ‘modern temples’ as they could be instrumental in transforming the destiny of millions of people. “Punjabis have a penchant for triumphing in every field and with the coming up of such centers the day is not far away when we will show the way to country for achieving the goal of ‘Make In India’ and ‘Skill India’ set by the PM”, said Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister said that it was a matter of great pride for him that the Prime Minister had constituted a sub group of NITI Aayog comprising the Chief Ministers of various states under his leadership. Mr. Badal said that he had convened several meetings of this sub group across the country to have a fair idea about the potential and dimensions of Skill development in the country. He said that the sub group would be submitting its report to the Prime Minister within a month so as to give boost to skill training in the state.The Chief Minister bemoaned that currently only three percent populace of the country was skilled as compared to the advanced countries where more than 90% of their population was highly skilled. He said that the state government has chalked out a strategy to bridge this gap by enhancing the skilled population in the state from three percent to 90%, for which Punjab State Skill Development Mission has been constituted. Mr. Badal said that the state government was setting up Integrated Multi Skill Development centers to create a pool of skilled manpower in the state, so as to cope up with the need of local industry besides opening new vistas of gainful employment for the youth.The Chief Minister said that in the same manner the state government was giving fulsome support and cooperation to the captains of Industry in the state for setting up Skill development centers in the various cities.
Lauding the Rayat-Bhara group for setting up this centre, Mr. Badal said that he was delighted to note that the group has taken this unique initiative to impart skill training to the youth in various courses that too at free of cost. “I am the happiest man today as my dream of making Punjab a skilled state was on right track. Today is a day of complete satisfaction for me”, he added.On the occasion the Chief Minister also felicitated the captains of industry who were a part of this noble venture.Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema, Lok Sabha MP Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Avinash Rai Khanna, state BJP Chief Mr. Kamal Sharma, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. NK Sharma, Chairman of Rayat-Bahra group Mr. Gurwinder Singh Bahra and President of group Mr. Nirmal Singh Rayat.