Chandigarh-Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister and Aam Aadmi Party State President Aman Arora today called upon Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary to designate the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship as the single point of contact for all skill development initiatives. This move aims to bring uniformity in monitoring and facilitate smoother implementation of the Centre’s skill development schemes.
Addressing the Regional Conference of Skill Ministers held here, Arora proposed two key measures to further strengthen skill development in the country: ensure a continuity of 3-5 years in skilling schemes with allocated training numbers for better planning, and implement skill training schemes through State Skill Missions to leverage their expertise in execution and monitoring.
Highlighting Punjab’s progress, Arora shared that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state launched the “Punjab Hunar Vikas Yojana” in 2024, training over 10, 654 youth. The state has partnered with leading organizations such as IBM, Microsoft, and NASSCOM to provide free skill training across diverse sectors. The government is focused on upgrading ITIs into Centres of Excellence, promoting entrepreneurship, and integrating digital technologies in training programs.
Arora added that over 2 lakh youth have been trained under flagship schemes like Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, emphasizing that skilling is about building the future, not just jobs. The Punjab government remains committed to creating an inclusive, opportunity-rich skilling ecosystem.
The Employment Generation, Skill Development & Training Department operates 14 Centres for Training and Employment of Punjab Youth and two Armed Forces Preparatory Institutes, with a new institute underway. Punjab Skill Mission equips youth for employment, self-employment, and sustainable livelihoods, supported by five Multi-Skill Development Centres, three Health Skill Development Centres, and 198 Rural Skill Centres. District-level offices ensure effective grassroots implementation.