SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has called upon the youth of the state not to be confined in the comfort of reservation but to kindle their competitive spirit.
Recalling his late father Purno Sangma’s words that “tribals will grow and open up when we go beyond reservation,” Conrad said, “It is time that youngsters should start competing and one day go beyond reservation.”
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the State Skills competition on Thursday at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Conrad said the energy of the youth has to be channelised to change the future of the state and the country.
According to him, skills competition should be held and should have competition for entrepreneurship and business plans as he maintained, “Competition is healthy.”
He stated that skilling is important for the development of the country with an ultimate goal for providing employment to the youth as well as contributing to the state and the country.
Additional Chief Secretary M.S Rao said 140 participants participated in the competition exhibiting six skills – automobile technology, carpentry, electrical installation, cooking, fashion technology and bakery.
He pointed out there are two major projects in the state – the human development project funded by the Asian Development Bank and the youth training programme under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
“Under the project, we intend to train about 45,000 youth in various trades for employment. The first phase of training for 7000 youth is already under way at the Don Bosco Technical School,” Rao said.
He said that the state government has received the union government’s approval for training 33,000 youth under the PMKVY.
The ADB project is administered by the Meghalaya State Skills Development Society and the PMKVY programme is administered by the Directorate of Employment and Craftsman Training.
Winners from the state skills competition will take part at the regional level to be held at Bengaluru from where the winners will move to the nationals. The winners of the national level will take part in the World Skills Competition 2019 at Kazan, Russia.
