Skill development only way to create jobs: President

President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday stressed the importance of developing skills of youths to deal with unemployment and said training the young workforce was the only way to ensure their employability.

Inaugurating an exhibition on skill development here, Mukherjee said unemployment was the basic problem for the country despite having a huge workforce -- more than two-thirds of the population falls in the working age group.

"Imparting training to the youths and their skill development is the only way to ensure employability," the President said.

Mukherjee also launched several projects across the state, including laying the foundation stone of a Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) centre at Jasidih in Deoghar.

The STPI will cater to the needs of information technology industry and also boost the entrepreneurship and IT export from Jharkhand.

The President also inaugurated two of the 31 new Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras in Jharkhand and six others in Bihar.

These centres are meant to provide high-quality training in multiple sectors with special emphasis on manufacturing and services trades.

Addressing the gathering, the President said many projects were launched to help hone the people's skills and benefit them.

"... it will widen the employment landscape in this land of heroes," Mukherjee added.

Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmu, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya, Minister of State for Law and Justice, Electronics and IT P.P. Chaudhary were among those present on the occasion.

--IANS

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