Education, training, employment key to developed India by 2047: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File pic

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said education, training and employment were the three key pillars for building a developed India by 2047, stressing that young people must continuously upgrade their skills amid rapid technological changes.

Addressing the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Employment Mahakumbh in Mumbai, Fadnavis said the programme was organised under the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan', launched across Maharashtra to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 25 years as the head of government.

"Narendra Modi completed 25 years as the Head of the State. On this occasion, we have started Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, and in this we organised this important programme, an employment fair," Fadnavis said.

Employment fairs aim to bridge job gap

Fadnavis said the Skill Development Department had planned around 2,000 events under the initiative, with more than 400 employment fairs being held at different locations on Tuesday.

"We've brought together everyone looking for a job and those who are hiring, and all of them are joining us here online today. Basically, if you think about it, the most important issue today is employment," he said.

He said nearly one lakh young people had registered for the initiative, with the government aiming to provide jobs to at least 50,000 people immediately while continuing efforts to place the remaining candidates.

"Around 1 lakh young men and women have already registered. Our goal is to provide jobs to at least 50,000 people right away, but this is just the first phase. We'll also make sure to consistently find jobs for the remaining 50,000," he said.

Focus on skills amid technological changes

Fadnavis said obtaining a degree alone was not enough to secure employment and emphasised the need to combine education with practical skills.

"We need to realise one thing today: just having knowledge isn't enough. Along with gaining knowledge, acquiring skills is also important. Together, knowledge and skills can guide us through today's world. Otherwise, just having a degree isn't enough to get a job," he said.

He pointed to rapid developments in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum engineering and quantum computing, saying workers would have to keep learning as technology and job requirements evolve.

"We'll constantly have to think about how to upgrade our skills. The days are gone when you'd just get a job, work for 30, 35, or 40 years, and retire. That's just not how it works anymore," he said.

Fadnavis also urged young people to remain open to new opportunities and make use of government training programmes aimed at improving employability.

(With inputs from ANI)