GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday stressed that skill development was the best way to ensure optimum utilization of huge human and natural resource of North East.
He added that skill development was possible through the right type of education.
The Chief Minister was inaugurating a two-day Skills Conclave: Forging Partnerships for Skill Delivery, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), DoNER and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) here.
Mr Gogoi said though the country was faced up with challenges on creating skilled manpower, there was immense scope as well.
“Challenges confront us on filling up the huge gap in skilled manpower. There is immense scope waiting to be explored in various sectors.
‘‘Only right type of training will enable us tap the huge manpower resources available in the North East and other parts of the country,” he added.
In this context, Gogoi called for greater coordination between the public and the private sectors as well as the universities in framing a right educational policy linking them with vocational jobs that are in great demand.
Underscoring the need for technological innovations to compete with countries like China, Mr Gogoi said, “It is through technological innovations that we can compete with countries like China and it is possible only if we hone the skills of our strong talented youth power.”
Gogoi also called for proper assessment as to whether the investments in the North East have had led to the creation of job opportunities.
Speaking on the occasion, DoNER Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar said the country has to gear up to bridge the yawning gap in skilled manpower through vocational training in a big way.
He said his ministry has taken up a slew of initiatives on its own and with CII to develop skilled workforce in the North East part of the country.
“DoNER, in league with CII and others, is focusing on skill development so that the youth of the region are gainfully employed. We are looking into all aspects of skill development so that the region is benefited,” he added.
Chairman, CII on Skilled Development, S. Mahalingam called for concerted efforts for meeting the huge shortage of skilled manpower in the country.
“A robust and pragmatic vocational training framework has to be in place for creation of skilled manpower to meet the requirements of 7 million skilled manpower required in the country every year,” he said.
Mahalingam also called for all-out efforts in doubling the participation of private players in skill development.
Dilip Chenoy, CEO and MD, NSDC spelt out the initiatives taken up by the sister organization of CII on creating skilled personnel with focus on the North East region.
“Our study on skill gap in the North East reveals that 2.6 million skilled personnel will be required between 2011 and 2021 in the region, half of which belongs to Assam.
Out of the required workforce, 75 per cent will require basic skills and the rest vocational skills,” he said, adding, ‘The region has to focus more on handloom, handicrafts, food processing, hydro, gas, mining, hospitality, information technology, health care, cane and bamboo, tea etc. to reap the benefits.”
A booklet on ‘Skills Gap Study of the North East’ brought out by NSDC on the occasion was released and an MoU was signed between Kaziranga University and In Skills on the occasion. (UNI)