Bhubaneswar: Skill development, livelihood and entrepreneurship programmes for the youth in Odisha will be organised by the Union Government on May 5 as part of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, said an official of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) on Thursday.
Head-Partnership Development and State Alliance at NSDC, Jaikant Singh informed the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Rural Development plans to hold the programmes in 164 blocks of 30 districts. A State-level event will also be organised at Habeli ground in Khurda district.
The objective is to create awareness among the youth on government skill development and livelihood initiatives available and to impart to them skills relevant to traditional jobs and market demands.
While Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will launch the programmes, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram will participate in programmes in different blocks under Sundergarh district.
Pradhan, while addressing the concluding ceremony of the two-day 'Odisha Skills 2018' in Bhubaneswar on Monday, had said State government needs to work hard to ensure skill development of its youths and the Centre would provide complete cooperation for it.
The Union Minister informed that a total of Rs 5,000 crore will be spent in next two years for development of skills. He also alleged that while the Centre had given Rs 88 crore to the Odisha government to train 58,000 students in four years, the allocated fund remains unutilised.
(With Agency Inputs)