Letter to the Editor

On the way to having a skilled workforce

Ganapathi Bhat

This refers to the editorial, “The skilling challenge” (July 17). The Government's ‘Skill India' vision is on the right track with the launch of the National Mission for Skill Development. The mission needs enormous planning and effective implementation. The focus should be on training and learning. Education without knowledge is a colossal waste of effort and fund. Education may not necessarily create jobs, but learning new skills will definitely open up avenues for youngsters. The empowerment of people capable of self-employment is more vital than a mere increase in the number of jobs.

We require a skilled workforce which can augment efficiency without compromising on cost-effectiveness and time-effectiveness. The private sector's involvement in the huge challenge need not be over-stressed, since employment opportunities in Government are limited. ‘Skill India' has the potential to complement the other ambitious programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — Make in India.