Punjab To Start 200 Skill Development Centers: Sukhbir

GURDASPUR, April 21 Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said 200 skill development centers would be opened across the state to make the youth as employment generators not the job seekers. Elaborating the plans of Punjab government to ensure all round development of the state, he said the government would open 2 skill development centers in every block of border districts, where the youth would be imparted free training in various streams to increase their avenues for self-employment. The youth would contribute to the state's development as also to their own family by being self employed with increase in resources, the Dy CM said. Addressing a gathering here at Shaheed Lieutenant Navdeep Singh (Ashoka Chakra) Sports stadium on the eve of inauguration of automated driving test track centre constructed at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore by state transport department, he said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has vision and farsightedness to empower the youth. He also informed that every center would see the 1,000 youth passing out taking the total number of annual pass outs to more than 1.50 lakh fully skilled and trained youth. He said that the state government would provide jobs to 1,20,000 youth of the state through a transparent process. Terming 'Kohinoor' diamond an inseparable part of cultural heritage of the state, SAD president said that every effort would be made to bring this precious diamond back to Punjab and the matter would be pursued with the Centre. He also said SGPC has been asked to file a petition in the Supreme Court in this regard. Badal said the state government has formulated a policy to give interest free cash crop loans of Rs 50,000 to the farmers. "Farmers' tubewell bills have also been waived off for which the state government pays Rs 6,000 crore from its own coffers to the Powercom," he said. Launching a scathing attack on Congress, he said the Congress created unnecessary noise on the issue of cash credit limit (CCL) for purchase of foodgrains and misguided the public on this issue but it has been given a befitting reply with the announcing of CCL to Punjab which has amply proved that Congress wanted to delay the loans just to malign SAD-BJP government and score political brownie points. Attacking Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said its so called formula of governance, if any, has miserably failed in Delhi and now it has set its eyes on Punjab with next year's Assembly elections in mind. -PTI