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Patowary stresses skill development

‘Skill development cannot be done in isolation. It must go hand in hand with industry department in the journey of skilling the youths of the state.’ This was stated by Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary while addressing a day-long workshop, ‘Dakhya Axom: Unnata Axom– An Initiative for Better Human Resource Planning to Achieve the Goal of Skill India’ organised by Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM) at Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara on Saturday.

Referring to China’s example of global dominance, the Minister said that if India can also convert its population to a skilled workforce, then the nation will be the skill hub of the world as per the envision of the prime minister.

He said that henceforth all employment exchange offices in the state will be converted to district skill development centres and will also act as facilitation centres for career counselling. ‘Thereby, employment officers will now on interact with the students and understand their requirements apart from registering their names in the employment exchange offices’, said the Minister.

Chief Secretary, VK Pipersenia said that each industrial sector must have their own skill development centres to improve the learning as well as production outcome and called upon the representatives of the industrial sectors to partner with ASDM to achieve the objectives.

Additional Chief Secretaries of Industries and Commerce Department, Ravi Capoor and Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department, KV Eapen both highlighted the emerging areas that the state needs to focus on like, hospitality, wellness, food processing etc. where skilled manpower is required and create a pool of skilled workforce.

Commissioner, Industries and Commerce, Dr KK Dwivedi said that only skill can enhance the employability and productivity of an individual and that skill and industry departments will work in synergy to achieve the avowed goal.

Commissioner & Secretary of skill department, Ashutosh Agnihotri, while addressing the welcome address said that India has a unique advantage of a young and energetic population and hoped that ASDM will make skilling more effective and productive.

Mission Director, AP Tiwari delivered the vote of thanks and ensured the industry delegates that the industry’s plans, wisdom and execution mode will be taken into consideration while achieving the goal of a skilled Assam.

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