E-Paper
CM Dhami Chairs High-Level Review on Skill Development, Focus on Jobs and Better Wages for Youth
State to align training with industry demand, ensure forward linkages and job security during skill programmes.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting on skill development and forward linkages at the Secretariat, stressing the need to provide demand-driven skills, assured employment and better wages to the youth of Uttarakhand.
The meeting reviewed the progress of skill development initiatives and examined ways to connect trained youth with employment opportunities through effective forward linkages. Despite a steady rise in the number of ITIs, technical institutions and trained youth in the state, concerns were raised over gaps in placement and the availability of satisfactory wages.
The Chief Minister noted that while industries often struggle to find skilled workers such as plumbers, electricians, masons and carpenters, many ITI-trained youth remain unemployed. He described this mismatch as a failure of coordination and management at the institutional and platform level, and directed departments to address the issue urgently through better inter-departmental coordination.
Emphasising the need to build “smart human resources” alongside smart infrastructure, CM Dhami directed officials to align skill courses with industry needs and emerging technologies. He called for upgrading ITIs and technical institutions, revising curriculum regularly, and ensuring the availability of trained instructors to deliver employment-oriented education.
The Chief Minister also instructed officials to develop an integrated three-tier workforce model comprising basic-skilled workers for daily local needs, medium-skilled workers, and highly skilled technical professionals. He said this approach would help generate local employment while supporting the vision of a developed India by 2047.
To ensure outcomes, CM Dhami directed that youth selected for training should be linked with employer institutions at the outset so that job security is ensured alongside training. He also stressed continuous review of technical courses and outcome monitoring at short-term, mid-term and long-term levels.
On overseas employment, the Chief Minister directed officials to share country-specific guidelines issued by the Government of India with selected candidates to help them adapt smoothly in foreign workplaces. He also instructed departments to ensure complete transparency in government recruitment processes and expedite the disposal of recruitment-related court cases to avoid unnecessary delays.
Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bahuguna suggested deeper industry participation in training programmes, stating that involving industries in curriculum design would help create demand-driven skills and improve employment prospects for youth. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan directed all concerned departments to work on a unified platform to accelerate employment and skill-related initiatives.
Skill Development and Employment Secretary C. Ravishankar made a detailed presentation on departmental efforts, outlining strategies ranging from local placements to overseas employment.
