Exhorting the industrialists to play a proactive role in promoting Technical education by setting up ‘Integrated Skill Centers’ in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that these were mandatory for safeguarding the interests of youth, state and even the entrepreneurs. Addressing the members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) here late last evening, the Chief Minister categorically said that imparting skill training to the youth was the need of hour to make them gainfully self employed on one hand and to create a pool of skilled manpower to cope up with the needs of the local industry on the other. He said that Skill Development was an issue of great importance for the country and its economy and for the future of our youth adding that it was the need of hour to impart skill training to each and every youth of the country. “You all can play a pivotal role in this noble cause which will further help in giving a major fillip to overall development of the country” added Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister further said that every industrialist must dedicate 50% of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for setting up the Skill centres in their respective state.
He said that this was all the more important because Skill Development of our youth could immensely help in solving the problems of unemployment and poverty. Mr. Badal said that it was paradoxical that on the one hand industry has been grappling with non availability of skilled manpower and on the other hand a vast majority of youth was without jobs so there was dire need to remove this gap by imparting skill training to the youth for which industrial tycoons could play a pivotal role.Lauding the FICCI for playing an instrumental role in the economic development of the country besides safeguarding the interests of the entrepreneurs, the Chief Minister said that role being played by FICCI on specific projects in the areas of Smart Cities, Medical Technology & Food Processing Sector was really laudable. He expressed hope that FICCI will also undertake activities in other focus sectors of Punjab and continue to work in the area of investment promotion. “I impress upon the captains of Industry present in this meet to lay special thrust on key focus sectors like agriculture & food processing, crop diversification, Dairy & Livestock, Medium and Small Scale Enterprises (MSME) and above all skill development for balanced and holistic development of the state” added Mr. Badal.
On the occasion President of FICCI Dr. Jyotsna Suri welcomed the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chairman FICCI regional advisory council Vice Chairman, Punjab State Planning Board Mr. Rajinder Gupta, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Financial Commissioner Revenue Mr. Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary Power Mr. Anirudh Tiwari, Managing Director Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Hussan Lal and Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar.