Involve Youth In PM's Initiatives, Says President Pranab Mukherjee

By siliconindia | Wednesday, 11 February 2015, 11:25 Hrs

NEW DELHI: Describing youth as the potential "engine of growth", President Pranab Mukherjee called for improving their employability to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India campaign a success.

"India is projected to have the largest workforce in the world by 2025, with a surplus of 47 million workers against a shortage of 56.5 million skilled workers in the world," the president said at the 46th Conference of Governors at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

"This demographic dividend is a double-edged sword. If their huge potential is tapped, they could become a powerful engine for growth. On the other hand, if we fail to do so, it could create social tension," he said.

Mukherjee expressed hope the government will evolve an appropriate skill development framework, remove the demand-supply disconnect for skilled manpower, promote Public-Private Partnerships and expand youth entrepreneurship education, said an official communique.

He requested the executive heads of the states and the union territories to promote skill development among youth and play a "persuasive" role in the implementation of the Jan Dhan Yojna as well as the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Pointing out that over 60 percent of the rural population does not have access to sanitation facilities, the president said that "we must reverse this position by addressing problem areas like affordability and mindset through innovative solutions".

Mukherjee underscored the importance of "primary" responsibility of the governors and Lt. governors to "ensure that the affairs of the states and union territories are conducted strictly in accordance with the letter and spirit" of the constitution to safeguard the democratic and secular fabric of the country.

Source: IANS