SHILLONG:
Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is on a two-day official visit to the state, announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 as a part of the Skill India Mission in Shillong on January 12.
Under PMKVY 4.0, courses and skilling programmes in various fields ranging from Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain to mobile repairing, vehicle maintenance and management will be introduced for the youth.
Chandrasekhar made the announcement while addressing a gathering at the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Shillong.
Referring to initiatives undertaken in Meghalaya, he said, “We have already skilled around 20,000 youth earlier and plan to cover many more in the state in the coming 12 months.”
The minister also offered tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his 160th birth anniversary which is celebrated as the National Youth Day all over the country. He also paid homage to Vivekananda’s spiritual guru Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
In his address, the minister said that it is very fitting that we celebrate his birthday as National Youth Day. “Swami Vivekananda was a deep believer in the inevitability of India’s rise as well as in the power, the innovation and the determination of the Indian youth,” he said.
He said it was a privilege for him to address an audience at the very place where Swami Vivekananda had delivered a public lecture in 1901.
The minister further spoke about the emergence of a New India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and about the tremendous opportunities for education, skilling and employment it offers for the youth today.
“Our PM has said that the future of India is technology, and has termed the next ten years as India’s Techade. And to make India’s Techade a reality, the youth must grab the opportunities available for them,” he said.
The minister then met members of the business community, and spoke to them about the skilling initiatives planned to be taken under PMKVY 4.0 to empower the youth and create opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurships.
Later Chandrasekhar held meetings with senior party leaders and Karyakartas and shared with them PM Modi’s vision of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. He also met groups of social workers and commended them for their efforts. He briefed them about the various government programmes that could help uplift those in need.