Hyderabad: BJP LP leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy has welcomed the State government’s decision to set up a Skills University in Mucherla. He said it is crucial to develop skills among the youth to meet the needs of companies in the private sector. Many young people are currently struggling to find jobs because they lack the right skills.
Participating in the budget discussions in the State Assembly on Thursday, Reddy mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was the first to come up with the idea of establishing skill development universities in the country. This initiative is different from traditional universities.
He pointed out that in 2014, Modi’s government set up a separate Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The main goal of this ministry is to provide skill training to the youth according to market needs in various fields.
Reddy noted that many states like Gujarat, Haryana, Assam, West Bengal, and Delhi already have skills universities. He criticized the previous government in the State for failing to establish such a university. He said the previous BRS government did not identify the priority sectors for the state properly.
The government announced that the number of admissions and courses in the new Skills University will gradually increase. The courses will be in fields like pharma, construction, banking, finance services, e-commerce and logistics, retail, animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics. Each course will be partnered with a well-known company in the respective field.
However, Reddy asked the government to clarify whether food processing is included in the courses offered by this university. He pointed out that Telangana is an agriculture-based state, with 46 percent of people depending on agriculture for employment, 21 percent on manufacturing, and 33 percent on the service sector.
He suggested that the best way to solve unemployment in rural areas is to encourage food processing industries. This would help save the crops grown by farmers from wastage.
Reddy recalled that the Congress Abhaya Hastam manifesto mentioned establishing a food processing industrial corridor from Adilabad and Nirmal to Hyderabad. He added that the government should consider setting up district centers for the Skills University with some courses.
The Congress manifesto also promised to set up Nehru Mandal Youth Industrial Parks for youth interested in entrepreneurship. Reddy said the government should focus on this as well.
He further mentioned that the Congress manifesto includes a comprehensive scheme, instead of the Dalit Bandhu implemented by the previous government, under the name of Ambedkar Abhaya Hastam. This scheme aims to provide financial assistance up to Rs 12 lakh for setting up self-employment units for SC and ST families. However, he noted that adequate funds have not been allocated for it in the budget. He urged the government to clarify when it will implement the promise made in the Congress Youth Declaration to provide an interest-free loan facility of Rs 10 lakh for setting up self-employment units for the youth.
Later, speaking to the media, Reddy accused the BRS of destroying the state for 10 years. He also accused Congress of resorting to corruption and blocking the BJP from raising important issues.
