Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has plans to make Karnataka an Unemployment-Free State. Hence, the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) is making all efforts to set up Skill Development Centres and Skill Training Centres in First Grade Colleges at 34 places in the State.

Karnataka Skill Development Minister Santosh Lad and KSDC Chairman Muralidhar Halappa are chalking out plans for skill development training and in this regard, the latter met the former PM and Economics Expert Dr. Manmohan Singh, who had visited Benglauru recently and discussed with him about the programme.

The Skill Development Centres will be set up in all the districts in the State including five centres in Bengaluru very shortly, said the Corporation sources.

CM Siddharamaiah, in his Budget, had announced that five lakh youth will be given training and provide one lakh jobs. However, now it has been changed and a decision taken to provide jobs to five lakh youth, said Muralidhar Halappa.

In the light of this, the Corporation had conducted Job Melas in all the districts including Mysuru. However, as the results were not encouraging it was decided to change the approach and once again relaunch it, he said.

Apart from providing jobs in different institutions, opportunities will be provided to  those who are keen on self-employment and the Government has entered into an understanding with those companies, which provide employment.

Skill Centres in 721 colleges

The Skill Centres will be set up in 721 Government and Aided Colleges in the State, he said.

The Department officials and Colleges’ Nodal Officers have been given the responsibility to oversee the implementation. Every week experts will be called to give lectures. Also, students will be taught how to face competitive exams, how to face interviews and they will also be taught English.  Already, nearly seven lakh people have registered in the State, which is a very encouraging development,  Muralidhar Halappa said.