Assam to take up skill and entrepreneurship development of youth in a 'big way'

Assam will go for skill and entrepreneurship development training of youth in a "big way", said Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi here today.

Gogoi has directed government officials to "gear up" skill development and entrepreneurship development training in different avocations that are in "great demand".

"We have to impart training for jobs that are in great demand and for that we have to go for skill and entrepreneurship development training in a big way," he said. Gogoi today reviewed the progress of Employment Generation Mission (EGM) and the new initiatives taken up by the department of labour and employment in the employment of craftsmen training at a high level meeting with senior officials in Dispur.

Government sources said EGM has been able to place successfully 16,056 youth in different vocations after imparting short term training to them at an expenditure of Rs 36.31 crore till August this year. For the current financial year, EGM has been able to place 3,213 persons as against the targeted beneficiaries of 12,000. Cluster bound development programmes are being taken up by ESM in floriculture and horticulture sectors.

Gogoi also said the infrastructure of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) will also be revamped soon and instructed officials to fill up the posts of faculty and staff in ITIs on contractual basis.

There are 28 government-run ITIs and 38 private-run ITIs in Assam. Setting up of at least 11 new ITIs are nearing completion with 15 new ones are in the pipeline. the state as vibrant employability centres.