SHILLONG: The North East has tremendous potential and its people’s work culture and honesty are assets to the region, said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters after a function at the headquarters of the Directorate General of Assam Rifles (DGAR), the skill development and entrepreneurship minister said, “The working nature of the northeast people and their honesty are the two characteristics which create a natural advantage for reliable employment.”
Pradhan said the qualities of the people in the region can be utilised in skilling ecosystem, a government-sponsored skill training programme.
He was confident about success though he did not rule out challenges on the way to scale up skilling ecosystem.
The minister, who reached Guwahati on Friday and reviewed performance of all northeastern states, lauded the states’ initiatives and pledged central help.
“We have to scale up the skilling ecosystem where conventional skills will have to be institutionalised and modernised. There is also need to train youngsters and the existing workforce in new skills,” he said.
MoU signed with AR
Pradhan was present at the ceremony to sign an MoU between Assam Rifles and National Skills Development Commission (NSDC) that will pave the way for retiring Assam Rifles personnel. With this, approximately 1,200 personnel who retire annually from Assam Rifles stand to gain from the initiative.
The ceremony was held in the presence of senior officials from Assam Rifles,
officials from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and NSDC on Saturday.
Speaking at the function, the minister said retired Assam Rifles personnel are a pool of highly disciplined and skilled individuals and stressed the importance of tapping into this resource.
Pradhan, who is also the minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, promised to set up a mechanism to improve supply of fuel and petroleum products to meet the needs of the force deployed in far-flung areas.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Shokin Chauhan of the Assam Rifles said there was a need for rehabilitating retired jawans for a second career.
“I am happy that the Minister came and along with that the promise of setting up some institutions here by which we can train our family and our children,” he said.
As an advantage to the locals in the North East, the training will be extended to them as well and his aim is to train the Assam Rifles to train the North East.
“Our larger aim is that a larger number of people in the North East get trained along with us,” he said.
