SILCHAR, Jan 21 - The Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Sarbananda Sonowal today said he would send proposals to the Union Ministry of Skill Development to set up skill development centres in the Barak Valley and at Haflong.
Addressing a congregation of students and youths at the Youth Conclave entitled �Skilled Youth, Empowered Assam� organized by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) at the Town Club ground, Sonowal, who earlier headed the Skill Development Ministry said that development of skill is one of the essential ingredients of India�s future economic growth into a diversified and internationally-competitive economy and the youths of Barak Valley, the fertile land of Assam must also get equal opportunities to develop and hone their skills. �Skill development is going to be the defining element in India�s growth story and proper learning is essential for its development. I firmly believe that there is a need to set up skill development centres in Barak Valley and shall propose to the Union Minister for Skill Development, Rajiv Pratap Rudy to open four centres � one each at Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and also at Haflong,� Sonowal said.
As many as 1500 students and youths from Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Dima Hasao districts participated in the conclave. Encouraging the students and youngsters, Sonowal said �gone are the days when people from the rest of India identified Assam as a land of problems and difficulties. Today�s Assam is a land of potentialities and possibilities and the youth of the State must involve themselves in nation-building activities.� Lauding the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan for organizing the conclave, he said that he hoped that the sessions in the conclave will give the participants a thought process which would help them to excel in life. �The schemes like Make in India, Digital India, Skill Development and Start-Up India, Stand-Up India launched by the Government of India are all meant to empower the youth which constitute 65 percent of the country�s population,� Sonowal said.
Further, he informed that he would also send proposals to the concerned ministry for construction of three more bridges over river Barak. Also efforts would be made to complete the long pending East-West corridor connecting Silchar and Saurashtra. Sonowal also spoke about his dream project of an international centre for research and youth development named after Swami Vivekananda about which he would submit a proposal to the Union Minister for Culture and assured the people that he will also send a proposal to the Union Railway Minister to introduce double track railway line in Barak Valley along with the Brahmaputra Valley. The Union Sports Minister said that efforts to develop sports infrastructure at Karimganj, Hailakandi and Silchar will start from the next Union Budget. Participants of the conclave who came with their vision of Assam submitted their ideas in the drop box which would be compiled by the organizers for execution.
