Employment in rural area to stop migration: Harsimrat

Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday said that employment will be created in rural areas so children of farmers would need not to migrate for work.

"For the next five years employment generation is going to my focus, especially in rural areas, so that children of farmers do not have to look for employment elsewhere. Farmers should turn into job creators from being job seekers," she said after taking charge of the ministry.

Harsimrat Kaur also said the the ministry was working on the Gram Samriddhi Yojana, which will focus on micro enterprises with capitalisation of less than Rs 10 lakh, with the World Bank, which was going to be launched soon.

"The aim is to target small farmers and the ministry will aim to facilitate creation of 60-70,000 such units within a short time. The pilot project will be done in four states and initiative will be expanded subsequently," she said.

She thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing his faith in her and having confidence in her work to give her the opportunity to work in the same ministry again.

--IANS

spk/vd