Skill India: India Inc must raise spend on creation of quality manpower, says Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged the industry to ramp up spending on the creation of trained manpower in the country. Addressing the launch event of the Skill Connect Roadshow here, the minister observed that there is a disconnect between the country’s education system and employability. He said the government will carve a roadmap for the 24 million youngsters entering the workforce every year.

“Time has come, we have to look into this aspect (of developing quality manpower) very seriously. This is not only a governmental effort, it is not possible,” Pradhan said.

He said the government has its own limitations, it can create a role model. “Government can show a pathway, it can partner with you (industry) but industry has to (spend) for its own benefit, own profit margin, own sustainability,” he said. The Skill Development and Entrepreneurship minister said world experts are unanimous in saying that in the next 25 years, India is going to be the number one economy of the world, adding this is not possible without properly skilled manpower. [caption id=“attachment_2109713” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. PIB[/caption] Besides, Pradhan, who is also the Union Petroleum Minister, said over $300 billion worth of investment is envisaged in India’s hydrocarbon sector in 10 years. “I can envisage more than $300 billion worth of investment in the next ten years in the hydrocarbon sector. New businesses are coming up. Today India is the number three energy consumer in the world”, he said. However, Pradhan said the country’s per capita energy consumption is very low within the emerging economies, adding that in the next 25 years the energy business of the world is eyeing India to realise this huge untapped potential. The roadshow will aim to drive awareness about various skilling initiatives of the state and central governments and is a step to supporting industry associations in proactive efforts towards building an industry-ready skill force in India, especially under the Apprenticeship Programme. It will be rolled through a series of workshops and seminars in more than 20 locations across India.