Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister and State President of Aam Aadmi Party Mr. Aman Arora today urged Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Sh. Jayant Chaudhary to designate the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship as the single point of contact for all skill development initiatives to bring uniformity in monitoring and implementation in Centre Govt’s skill development schemes.
While addressing the Regional Conference of Skill Ministers today organised here at a hotel, Mr Aman Arora also suggested two key measures to further enhance skill development, which include ensuring continuity in skilling schemes by allocating training numbers for 3-5 years, allowing for better planning and informed choices for youth and implementing skill training schemes through State Skill Missions to leveraging their expertise in implementation and monitoring for more effective outcomes.
Highlighting the state's significant strides in skill development, Mr. Aman Arora shared that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has launched its own “Punjab Hunar Vikas Yojana” in 2024, training over 10,654 youth. Furthermore, the state has partnered with prominent organisations like IBM, Microsoft, and NASSCOM to provide free training in diverse skills.
The state government aims to upgrade ITIs into Centres of Excellence, promote entrepreneurship and leverage digital integration for skill training, aligning with the vision of transforming Punjab's youth into a skilled and employable workforce. He further informed that over 2 lakh youth have been trained through various flagship initiatives, with notable achievements under schemes like Deen Dayal Upadhaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
Skilling is about building future, not just jobs, Mr. Aman Arora said, while adding that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is committed to creating a futuristic, inclusive, and opportunity-rich skilling ecosystem. The Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development & Training department is dedicated to enhancing employability through various initiatives.
It operates 14 Centres for Training and Employment of Punjab Youth and two Armed Forces Preparatory Institutes for boys and girls, with a new institute underway. The Punjab Skill Mission equips youth with skills for employment, self-employment, and sustainable livelihoods.
Furthermore, the department has established 5 Multi-Skill Development Centres, 3 Health Skill Development Centres, and 198 Rural Skill Centres, with district-level offices ensuring effective implementation at the grassroots level, he added.