Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 20: Inaugurating the IMS Health Skill Development Centre under the aegis of “UDAAN” programme aimed at empowering the youth of Jammu & Kashmir with active support and assistance from Central Government, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that the youth of Jammu and Kashmir are second to none and a lesser publicised fact is that the J&K youth are today excelling in every sphere of life across the country and abroad. Wherever they are, their performance and diligence has brought laurels to the State, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh observed that, as a medical professional, he was aware about the distinction achieved by J&K medicos as well as engineering technocrats across the country and overseas but after he took over the assignment of the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) at the Centre, he realised during his visits to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) at Mussoorie as to how extraordinarily young IAS and civil services candidates from J&K were not only performing with distinction but also proving to be role models for their peers from other States. Even though there is lack of job opportunity for talented youngsters within the State, he said, those of them who are constrained to move out of the State, have succeeded in making a niche for themselves.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Skill India” mission, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the answer to rising number of educated unemployed in J&K is to make the best use of the Central Government’s Skill Development schemes. And in this context, he lauded initiatives like “UDAAN” and public-private participation through agencies like IMS Health, one of the world’s leading providers of healthcare services and training.
Dr Jitendra Singh referred to the recent Skill Training Programme initiated by him on voluntary basis in district Doda of his parliamentary constituency with specific aim to train the youth in the kind of skill which can beget them employment locally. With this consideration, he said, the Skill Development Programme initiated in Doda would provide training in local surveys and mapping which could make these youth employable by a host of different hydro and power projects running in the district.
With India emerging as a world power in the next few years on the basis of its youth skill with more than 70% of total population below the age of 35 years, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the youth of J&K must look forward to becoming an essential part of the country’s overall youth potential in the 21st century and for this purpose, he assured full cooperation from the Government of India headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier, Nitin Goel, Managing Director, IMS Health, South Asia Region welcomed the guests and gave a brief about the activities of the new Center inaugurated today. Also present on the occasion were senior officers from the Union Health Ministry.
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