Address by Governor on the occasion of 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji

Address by Shri CH. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra at the Convocation Ceremony and Prize Distribution function organized by the Directorate of Vocationa Education and Training, Department of Skill Development and Enterpreneurship, Government of Maharashtra at Sahyadri Guest House, Mumbai at 1100 hrs on Monday 15th July 2019

Shri Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar, Hon’ble Minister for Skill Development and Enterpreneruship, Dr Ranjit Patil, Minister of State, Shri Narendra Annasaheb Patil, Chairman, Annasaheb Patil Arthik Magas Vikas Mahamandal, Shri Sanjay Pawar, Deputy Chairman, Smt Sujata Saunik, Additional Chief Secretary, Dr Anil Jadhav, Director, Vocational Education and Training, Representatives of Agriculture Universities, representatives of various Industrial establishments, Heads of Industrial Training Institutes, candidates and trainees qualifying the Trade Test and All India Skill Competition, Group Farming Practitioners, officials, staff, ladies and gentlemen,

At the outset I extend my greetings to all of you on the occasion of ‘World Youth Skills Day’.

It is only appropriate that we are felicitating the best Industrial Training Institutes, Industrial Establishments and candidates qualifying All India Trade Test Examination, All India Skill Competition, Skill Instructors, Group Farming Practitioners and others on this day. I congratulate every individual and organization honoured today.

Today, I would like to congratulate Government of Maharashtra for according highest priority to skill development.

I was pleased to note that the Department of Skill Development and Enterpreneurship has taken significant initiatives for upgrading and strengthening Industrial Training Institutes and also providing skill training to agriculturists and farmers. I congratulate the Department, the Directorate, and the Mahamandal for their joint efforts in skilling Maharashtra.

Ladies and gentlemen,

While launching the Skill India Mission in 2015, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi Ji had expressed the resolve of the government to make India, the skill capital of the world. Towards this end, the Government of India took a decision to impart skills training to 400 million people by 2022 through various initiatives. The Government of Maharashtra, on its part, has set a target of equipping 4.5 crore youth with employable skills by 2022.

This is both a challenge and an opportunity. By 2020, India is going to emerge as the most youthful nation in the world. The average age of an Indian will be 29 years, which would be 8 years younger than the average age of a Chinese or an American.

This massive demographic dividend will benefit the nation if only we could provide diverse skills to as many youths as possible.

According to various estimates, by 2022, there are going to be 5 crore jobs in the Retail Business Sector, 1.42 crore jobs in the Health and Wellness Sector, more than 20 lakh jobs in the telecom sector. According to another study, in the Analytics and Data Science disciplines alone, 45 per cent new jobs are estimated to be available; about 65 lakh additional jobs will be created in the next 7 years in the software sector. The question is are we ready for these jobs?

India is providing the best IT engineers and also doctors to the world. I believe that we can, as well, provide the best craftsmen, carpenters, plumbers, nurses, paramedicos and even agriculturists to the world.

Many of our skilled workers are serving in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and other countries for many years. We need to win over them back to our country to remove the skill deficit.

It is a fact that 65 per cent of our population is below the age of 35 years. However it is also a reality that less than 5 Per cent of our total workforce has got some kind of formal skill training. In comparison, South Korea has 96% people with some form of formal skill training, Japan has 80%, Germany has 75%, United Kingdom has 68% and the United States has 52% people receiving formal skills training.

India is striving seriously to become a 5 trillion dollar economy. In Maharashtra, we have attracted maximum Foreign Direct Investment during recent years. We are also striving to emerge as the Start up capital in the country. At this juncture, we cannot afford to have such huge skill deficit.

A major boost is needed to apprenticeship promotion. We must ensure that all industrial establishments create apprenticeship positions for the youths. Our youths must also get opportunity to do apprenticeship training in government departments, public sector, private sector and non-governmetnal organisations.

Recently, India and Germany signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to focus on the field of dual vocational education and training and skill development. We need to forge similar skilling agreements with various countries.

India is emerging as the youngest nation in the world. However, and at the same time, the elderly population in the country is also growing. It is expected that India will have 340 million elderly people in the year 2050. Which means, India alone will have an elderly population which is more than the total population of the United States of America!!

The country will require more trained youths to provide elderly care to our people. This is one more area in which our youths will require mentoring.

For many years, our ITIs remained struck in old and outdated programmes. Time has come for our Industrial Training Institutes to constantly evolve and upgrade their programmes, taking into consideration, demands of the market. We will need to provide skills in futuristic areas like Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analysis, Robotics, 3D printing and others.

Agriculture continues to provide livelihood to more than half of our population. Maharashtra has tremendous potential in food production, horticulture, floriculture, dairy and fisheries. I believe that given proper skill training to youths in these areas, Maharashtra can provide expertise and manpower in agriculture to the entire world. Needless to say the role of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Agriculture Colleges and Universities assumes greater significance.

I wish to appeal to the Skill Development Department, to diversify the skill-basket, increase the scale and scope of skilling youths and make Maharashtra, the skill capital of India. We must aim for receiving the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s commendation in this regard.

With these words, I congratulate all the Best ITIs, successful candidates of Skill and Vocational Examinations and others and wish you all success in your future endeavours.

Thank you

*Jai Hind* ! *Jai Maharashtra* !!