Rupani launches Job Fair Fortnight, asks youth to look beyond govt jobs

Gandhinagar: Emphasizing that skilling and employment generation are the top priorities of his government, Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani Thursday launched the state-wide Job Fair Fortnight at Gandhinagar. The Job Fair Fortnight is an initiative of the Labour and Employment department and it aims to generate over 35,000 job opportunities.

In his address on the occasion, Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani, said, “Gujarat has emerged as the best investment destination, and is attracting a lot of industries. The new factories will require more than 57 lakh skilled workers by 2022. The Gujarat government has already skilled 17 lakh youths so far, and more will be trained in the coming time. ”

The Chief Minister noted that Gujarat was the first state to start the Mukhya Mantri Apprenticeship Scheme last year, and said that more than 77,000 youths have already been trained under it.

He also appealed youngsters to forget the lure and safety of government jobs, and to look at other next generation avenues.

Earlier, the Chief Minister performed e-dedication of 26 new Industrial Training Institute (ITI) buildings. He also launched two mobile applications of the Labour Commissionerate. The first app SIMPLE (Shram Inspection Mobile Portal for Labour & Employer) will bring in transparency in labour inspection process by allowing uploading of inspection remarks from the spot. The second app SACHET (Safety and Comprehensive Health Environment Test) will allow work environment monitoring in industrial units.

Speaking on the occasion, Labour and Employment Minister Shri Dilip Kumar Thakore said that Gujarat has been the number one state in employment generation for more than a decade, and unemployment level in the state is the lowest in the country.

“Gujarat government has been focusing on training youths for many years. We are committed to achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Skill India and Make in India,” he said.

In his welcome address, Shri Vipul Mittra, Additional Chief Secretary, Labour and Employment department, said the job fairs will be organized in all 33 districts between September 19 and October 5.

“The job fairs will bring job providers and job seekers on the same stage. We expect these fairs to create 35,000 employment opportunities,” he said adding that 392 big and small job fairs organized in the last year created more than 63,000 jobs.

Mittra also said that nearly 2,367 posts of ITI instructors are in the process of being filled.

Earlier, 10 ITI students, who are undergoing a four-month Residential Training at IIT Gandhinagar, were awarded appreciation letters at the hands of the dignitaries on the occasion.

The Chief Minister also awarded Appreciation Letters to Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India for setting up best laboratories in 20 ITIs, to Quest Alliance for training ITI students in employability skills, and to Pidilite Industries for its several initiatives and performance as a Knowledge Partner in enhancing skills.

The Chief Minister also took part in a two-way communication with students of ITI Kubernagar, and apprentices of Suzuki Motors Gujarat.