Itanagar, October 28 : Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy today said the Centre will provide "all possible help" for skill development to the youth of the north-east for gainful self-employment.
Addressing the inaugural day of the two-day conclave of Young Leaders Connect (YLC), with the theme 'Start-up North East, Stand-Up North East', the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said skill development needed to be integrated with school education for successful entrepreneurships.
"Over the years in India, education has had a distinct bias over skill. Without skill, no education will serve the purpose. We have given more weightage to education instead of skill development, wherein lies the flaws," he said, adding that the north-east had immense natural resources to start enterprises.
"The Centre is working for skill development of the youth of north-east in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has created a separate ministry," Rudy said, adding that his ministry would work in close coordination with the respective state governments for self-employment of the youth through skill development programmes.
Referring to the infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh, the Union minister lamented that if the Centre and the state government took 67 years to create roads, it was difficult for the economy to prosper.
"How can we even think on the lines of former prime minister AB Vajpayee's dream Golden Quadrilateral project when we cannot build roads in 67 years? That is why, Prime Minister Modi has said that we have lost the battle," he said.
"There are enough employment opportunities, but we lacked skilled manpower," Rudy said while referring to various job sectors where the presence of the youth from the north-east is very limited.
Vibrant, progressive NE important for India, says Chandrasekhar
The new economic model of Prime Minister Narenda Modi is to make entrepreneurship a reality as it has become a fundamental for growth, observed Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Delivering his keynote address in the two-day conclave of Young Leaders Connect (YLC) with the theme 'Start-up North East, Stand-Up North East' which began here today, the MP said in the changing nature of economy, deficit states have to reinvent their economy model.
Chandrasekhar said a vibrant and progressive North East was important for India and therefore, there was significant motivation to develop the region.
Stating that politics of the region should move into politics of economy, he suggested the lawmakers of the region to approach the Centre for a special funding pattern for the entrepreneurs of the North Eastern states.
Emphasising on good connectivity, the MP said without connectivity there would be no growth in entrepreneurship in the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the North East was lagging behind due to lack of adequate knowledge and skill, despite having immense potentials and urged the Centre for special attention to the region as per the Act East Policy.
Meghalaya MP Conrad Sangma in his deliberation termed entrepreneurship as a culture which needs to be developed in the North East.
The conclave would have panel discussions and a round-table discussion with experts and stakeholders. The discussions would go beyond dialogue and towards deliverable goals applicable in a national and regional setting.
