HP would soon emerge as a model state in skill development: CM

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said that Himachal Pradesh would soon emerge as a model state in skill development. The thrust of the present government will be on upgrading the skills of youths and to make them self reliant so that self employment avenues can open up for them. This could also lead to youth empowerment, he said at the closing ceremony of the Skill India Pavillion at World on Platter here. The chief minister said that the state government is considering to come up with a plan under which brand product for every district would be identified and promoted under Skill India, a Himachal Pradesh government statement said He said that state government's focus was on youth and in Himachal Pradesh, the share of youth population is 35.25 per cent, which is more than the national level of 34.80 per cent. The chief minister said that Government of India has formulated the National Policy for skill Development and Entrepreneurship to provide an umbrella framework to all skill development activities being carried out in the country, and to align these to common standards and link skill development activities with demand centres. On the same lines, he said, Himachal Pradesh has introduced the Skill Development Policy to guide the reform and scale up its skill development efforts, Thakur said. Under the Skill Development Allowance Scheme, 1,85,326 people were benefited with an amount of Rs 156 crore, he added.