SHILLONG, Jan 22: Meghalaya, with roughly 12 lakh youths in the age group 15-30 years and which also comprises 31 per cent of the state’s total population, has to create 50,000 jobs every year, which is a challenge for the MDA Government.
Informing this, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that this is a very challenging task for the Meghalaya Government, which is a young state with its own advantages and challenges.
However, the state has a population with a young work force, which has the potential of driving the growth engine of Meghalaya and the country as a whole, he said, adding that the real challenge will be in channelising the potential in the right direction to create the infrastructure, environment and the ecosystem in a way that the youths will become a force which will push the economy, state and the nation forward.
He was speaking during the inauguration of the new campus of the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Sohra, on Friday.
After inaugurating the new campus, Conrad said that the inauguration of the new ITI campus is a step forward in that direction.
Conrad also lauded the Department of Labour for working tirelessly in completing the new campus and many such buildings throughout Meghalaya, which will go a long way in transforming the future of the youth and the younger generation.
He informed that apart from these ITIs, the Government of Meghalaya also plans to come up with a policy to provide mandatory training and skill development to the youth.
He said that, as per analysis, besides unemployment, un-employability is another issue which needs to be tackled.
The campus was constructed under the project Supporting Human Capital Development in Meghalaya.
The cost under ADB component was Rs 3.63 crore and Rs 95 lakh under the Enhancing Skill Development Infrastructure in NE States (ESDI). The ITI, Sohra, was established in 2011.
The construction of the new building commenced in 2017 with the introduction of an additional trade – Catering & Hospitality along with a highly qualified training officer in 2018.
On the day, the ITI Icons consisting of successful passed-out trainees of ITI, Sohra, were felicitated.
