Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 17 Jul: In a comprehensive review meeting held at the Secretariat with the Skill Development and Labour Department, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today emphasised on the urgent need for inter-departmental coordination to effectively link the youth of Uttarakhand with meaningful skill development and employment opportunities. He directed Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan to convene a meeting with all departmental secretaries to chart out a structured strategy that ensures aligned efforts across departments.
The CM stressed upon the importance of aligning skill development programmes with incubation and growth centres. He also called for robust training facilities across the districts which are tailored to local requirements, especially in trades like plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, and masonry. He stated that courses must be designed keeping industrial demand and future market needs in mind, with modern infrastructure such as advanced machinery, functional laboratories, and smart classrooms forming the backbone of these centres.
Dhami also asserted that the skill training must reflect the traditional identity and strengths of each district. He laid stress on boosting registrations under the E-Shram portal and bringing the skilled workers under a comprehensive social security coverage. He further instructed the formulation of a targeted rehabilitation scheme to address child labour. He announced that awareness campaigns for the eradication of child labour will be prioritised in the larger districts of the state.
With an aim to enhance women’s involvement in self-employment, the CM ordered the establishment of dedicated skill centres and the rollout of ‘Skill on Wheels’ mobile units in remote areas. He directed the officials to engage with Indian embassies to tap into international employment opportunities for Uttarakhand’s youth, particularly in healthcare and hospitality sectors. He also instructed the officials to ensure regular coordination with Doon University for foreign language training for aspirants seeking overseas placement. Dhami also stressed that arrangements at the proposed Centres of Excellence across districts be completed with urgency and precision.
Dhami further directed that the Skill Development Department submit a detailed action plan within ten days, outlining the annual number of youth trained and placed, along with a forward-looking roadmap. During the meeting, it was shared that the Central Government has approved a dual-mode two-year course in 27 ITIs statewide, incorporating one year of institutional training and another in industry. It was also shared that an approval for five additional ITIs is presently in process.
Among those who attended the meeting include Vice Chairman of the Infrastructure Monitoring Council, Vishwas Dawar, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretaries Sridhar Babu Adanki, C Ravishankar, and other officials concerned from the related departments.
