Himachal govt plans to set up Skill Development Corportion

Himachal Pradesh government plans to set up a Skill Development Corportion with an initial investment of Rs 500 crore to tackle problem of unemployment in the state, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today.
A Skill Development Authority will also be set up to create five lakh jobs in the industries being set up, he said at an annual function of a women's college here.
The state government is planning to open University of Journalism and Mass Communication at a suitable location in the state and efforts are also being made to open 'State of Art Education' facilities for youths, he added.

He said the state was spending about Rs 962 crore on higher education during the 12th five years plan and priority was being given to construction of buildings for government colleges and schools.
"The state government is laying special emphasis on education of girls and out of 74,217 students studying in government colleges, 45,156 were girls, which was more than 60 per cent.
"Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of higher education in Himachal Pradesh was 23.9 per cent, compared to 15 per cent at the national level and the target was to increase it to 35 per cent by 2020," he said.

The Chief Minister also announced free travel facility in HRTC buses to students of government schools for going to institutions and back from April 1 next.
He said lady police constables would be deployed in the college campus to ensure safety and security of female students along with regular pharmacist and lady health worker.