If you cannot skill India, you will kill India: Kiren Rijiju

"If you cannot skill India, you will kill India", Union minister Kiren Rijiju said Monday, stressing unemployment was the biggest problem facing the country.

He was speaking at the first anniversary celebrations of 'Yuva', a Delhi Police initiative in association with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to equip vulnerable youth, especially those from the underprivileged sections of the society.

The Delhi Police organised a 'Mega Job Fair' at the Siri Fort auditorium which was attended by Rijiju and Delhi LG Anil Baijal.

Rijiju said the skill development of vulnerable youth on this scale by the Delhi Police, which has never been done previously by any state police in the country, sets an example for other state police units.

"Unemployment is the biggest problem facing our country. If you cannot skill India, you will kill India. If we do not skill the youth, they will become a liability and might take a wrong path," he said.

This initiative would not only provide jobs, but also life to the youth, who were either victims of crime or in conflict with the law, especially those from underprivileged sections of the society, Rijiju said.

"By employing these school dropouts, juvenile offenders and victims of crime, the police is not only making them employable but also shaping their lives," he added.

The Lt Governor said it was a "happy coincidence" that the 'Yuva' initiative turned a year older on his birthday.

Appreciating the efforts of the Delhi Police, Baijal said the fact that so many people had got jobs under the initiative was a 'birthday gift' to him.

"Crime prevention has always been a focus area. If we want to bring in crime prevention before policing, we should target vulnerable youth to come forward and contribute to society... Today I think these 3,000 trained youths are brand ambassadors of the Delhi Police," Baijal added.

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik said 2,800 youths, out of the 3,000 trained, had been employed so far.

"It was observed that most of the youngsters involved in street crime are first-timers and if they can be taken into YUVA fold, they can be weaned away from crime join the mainstream", he said.

The job fair on Monday witnessed participation of 60 employment providers who interviewed around 1,300 youths out of which around 700 were selected for employment. The Yuva initiative was launched last year on August 29 by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship had given Delhi Police a target of 2500 for skill development in 2017 which was increased to 5000 this year.

A variety of employment related skills ranging from front desk management to vertical gardening, horticulture, beauty services are being provided to the youngsters by the skill partners.