Rs 1000 crore given for skill development of 10 lakh youth this fiscal: Chidambaram

Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu): The Centre has allocated Rs 1,000 crore for skill development of 10 lakh youth in this fiscal, Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said on Sunday.

Inaugurating a rural skill development centre at nearby Amaravathiputhur, set up by National Skill Development Corporation, he said only 15 per cent of students get their skills upgraded and get jobs abroad, while 20 per cent do not have any future due to lack of skills.

He urged rural youth to imbibe more knowledge other than farming to improve their income and pointed out that those who went abroad without skills had to do menial jobs.

He said NSDC is currently training youths in 17 sectors to improve and develop their skills and help them get jobs and also to regulate jobs in 367 sectors. He said government had decided to establish skill development centres in every Lok Sabha constituency.