Addressing the youth in Gandhinagar at the inauguration of National Conference on Skill Development, Narendra Modi, stressed on the importance of skill development for creating jobs and talked on how the best practices from every part of the country should be incorporated, understood and accepted.

We cannot develop isolated. We have to develop in the context of global requirements & we should see we are not remaining behind

Foccusing on the youth once more, Mr. Modi said that the future of the country is in the hands of the youth and the country is not run by babus and it is the youth that has to take India forward. Highlighted that the vishwa nirmata was being ignored in the India of today.

It is a small Karigar who will think of how to make things perfectly…We have to give Pratishtha to Shram, Dignity of Labour is very important.

Stating that skilled manpower is the need of the hour, he noted that while on one hand there was unemployment, demand for labour is also high.

Wherever you go you will hear youth has no jobs, youth wants job. Other side people saying- we need good driver, plumber. On one side there is unemployment but on other hand there is a demand. India needs skilled manpower. We have youth and skill. We have everything but we have not been able to join them. Through this seminar we want to integrate these strengths.

We are born in an era where 65% of our population is under the age of 35. We are the most youthful nation.

Mr. Modi talked of the importance of Governments taking up the onus of skill development as no country can do without skilled manpower. Criticised the Government for ignoring skill development all these past years and said that had enough attention been paid to the issue, the economy would not be in the state that it is in today. Answering the question to why he organises such conferences , Mr . Modi said that he has to do it because those who should are not doing so.

Every state has made some initiatives. Gujarat has made some initiatives. Would be better if it was done in Delhi also..There cannot be any nation or government that would not focus on skill development….

5 years ago at an NDC meeting PM said our focus area is skill development and we are targeting 500 works…I said, China is talking about 50,000 and you are talking about 500?

Those countries who have youth are focusing on skill development and those without youth are thinking how to acquire skilled manpower.

Mr. Modi brought to focus the point that still today there are many youngsters who drop out of school for various reasons and some who cannot pursue higher education. This is the youth group that should be targeted for skill development.

The number of people moving to higher education is less. Where do the rest go? We need to focus on this…It is not that our youth does not want to learn. Once a youth has skill he or she does not want to live on Government doles.

Crticising the Government for being passive in the area of skill development, he said that in spite of money being spent and the Minister’s National Council on Skill Development was constituted in 2008 but nothing happened. In 2009 National Skills Policy came but it is still on paper only. In 2013 they decided to disband all the committees.

The Government is very good at forming and dissolving committees… In the end they say- let us see what Gujarat is doing. Our KVKs got PM’s award for work in skill development.

Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of integrating the seven Ms- Man, Machine, Material, Money, Management, Motive Power and Market.

Where there is skilled manpower there will be development. The time of the reverse has gone…Those who give importance to skilled manpower, development will happen.

Switching his attention to the tourism sector, Mr. Modi said that there is no training for tourist guides or the local. Also Human Resource Development cluster are essential so each can get work near his or her native place. He also talked about the changes taking place in the ITI by the Gujarat Government in terms of acceptance of degrees.

We were very proud if IITs its a good thing but not we need to think on ITIs and give it the same importance..The more the skilled manpower, the more productivity, the better manufacturing. This will increase exports.

Narendra Modi, in his closing note, urged all those who had come to Gujarat for the first time to venture into the state and see the place for themselves.