Skill development key to creating huge employment: President

Imparting skill training to youth is the key for creating huge employment, President Pranab Mukherjee said today.
"Basic problem of India is job creation... It can be solved by imparting skill training to the youth as more than 50 per cent of India's population is young," the President said while dedicating 35 skill development centres to the nation online.
"Skill development is the only answer to create employment," he said, lauding Narendra Modi government's Skill India drive.
Laying the foundation stone of a Software Technology Park here, the President said it will create direct and indirect employment for the youth of the Santhal Pargana region.

It is heartening to know that this facility will be used for digital initiative like implementing the India BPO promotion scheme, promoting software exports and supporting software product startups, he said.
He also laid foundation stones of Drivers Training Centres at Deoghar and Godda.

The President said the centres will mitigate the shortage of skilled drivers in the region.
The programme has a huge employment spin off, he said.
"It will create a valuable skill-set amongst the youth who will benefit in terms of better income opportunities, he added.
Jharkhand, he said, is set for all round development with its huge mineral resources.

He also recalled the sacrifices of Sidho Murmu, Kanho Murmu, Tilka Manjhi and Birsa Munda during India's freedom struggle.
He also laid the foundation stone of an ESI hospital saying efforts are being made by the government to provide access to quality and affordable healthcare services to citizens.
One of the prominent interventions in this regard is Employees' State Insurance Scheme, an integrated measure of social insurance designed to ensure health cover for employees, he said.
The President also inaugurated the Deoghar part of the 44 km long Deoghar-Basukinath solar street light project.
The installation of three solar plants of 100 KW capacity each will provide electricity to over 1,600 LED lights across the Deoghar Basukinath state highway.

The project, he said, will spur the development of more such renewable and sustainable energy initiatives in the state.
The solar street lights will help the pilgrims during the month of Shravan when millions of devotees trek the route, he said.
He also said Jharkhand and other eastern states are set for faster development.
The region is placed on the cusp of a new future.