NATIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT MISSION

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched ‘Skill India Mission’ on the occasion of the first ever World Youth Skills Day. 

Launching the mission Prime Minister said India should emerge as the world's human resource capital. 

He also said that India will provide maximum workforce to the world in coming decades. 

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister said Skill Development mission is for those students who could not continue their studies and are forced to drop out due to financial constraints. 

He said the government has waged a war against poverty through skill development. 

He said it will not only help in meeting job requirements, but also create self confidence and fill them with renewed vigour. 

Prime Minister said his foremost priority is creation of jobs and infrastructure and the Skill Development Mission has been launched towards achieving this end. 

He said skill is the requirement of time and demand for skilled professionals will grow in coming days. 

Structures and mechanisms need to be created to nurture youngsters, and enable them to find employment. 

Mr Modi said government is also making efforts to focus on promoting entrepreneurs. 

In his address, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India's surplus manpower can be converted into a useful resource. 

He said Skill India will help in making hundreds of people self sufficient. 

The Prime Minister also formally launched the National Skill Development Mission, and unveiled the new National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015. 

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikash Yojana was also rolled out on an all India basis on the occasion. 

A 'Skill Loan' initiative will also be introduced to make loans from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh available to more than 34 lakh youth, who seek to attend skill development programmes, over the next five years.

According to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy, such large scale skill development programme has never been undertaken in history of independent India. Rudy also pointed that states like Uttar Pradesh and Kerala have made an initiative to work towards the programme.