World Youth Skills Day celebrated in Greater Noida: Focus on empowering people through AI, digital skills

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Greater Noida, July 15 (IANS) World Youth Skills Day was celebrated on Tuesday with great enthusiasm in Greater Noida, with a series of discussions and events dedicated to empowering young people with cutting-edge skills.

Stakeholders from government agencies, training institutes, and industry partners gathered to highlight how initiatives like the Skill Development Mission are transforming the lives of the youth by equipping them with industry-relevant skills and facilitating employment opportunities.

Hundreds of young people in Greater Noida have found gainful employment through the Skill Development Mission.

Beneficiaries shared that apart from professional training, they are also being provided with essential amenities like food and accommodation during their learning period, ensuring that financial hardship does not stand in the way of acquiring valuable skills.

The scheme also places a strong emphasis on making women self-reliant by offering tailored training and job opportunities.

This year’s World Youth Skills Day carries special significance as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Skill India Mission.

Launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mission was designed to transform India into a global hub of skilled talent by equipping youth with industry-relevant capabilities, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) is part of the Ministry of Rural Development’s National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and aims to reduce poverty by providing sustainable employment to over 550 lakh poor rural youth.

It focusses on placing candidates in jobs that offer regular monthly wages at or above the minimum wage, significantly improving the livelihoods of families across India.

World Youth Skills Day is observed every year on July 15 to underline the strategic importance of empowering young people with skills necessary for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.

The United Nations General Assembly declared this day in 2014, following a resolution initiated by Sri Lanka. The first celebration in 2015 coincided with the launch of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which places strong emphasis on quality education and decent work for all.

The theme for this year, ‘Youth Empowerment Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Skills,’ reflects the transformative role of technology in shaping careers and societies. As AI continues to redefine industries, building digital literacy and advanced technical capabilities among youth is critical to ensuring they become leaders of change rather than passive participants.

The celebration in Greater Noida included motivational addresses, skill demonstrations, and inspiring success stories from beneficiaries.

Anita, a participant of the programme, shared her journey: “Earlier, I didn’t know what to do. With this Yojana, I came to Greater Noida. Now I am working as a floor manager in a hospital. This scheme changed my life.”

Manisha, another beneficiary, highlighted the entrepreneurial boost the scheme has given her. “I took three months of sewing training. We now have around 20 machines and are getting orders from Noida, Delhi, and Gurugram. We have done business worth Rs 30 lakh so far,” she told IANS.

The event also showcased how initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and the Skill India Digital Hub are accelerating India’s journey to becoming a global skill powerhouse. Since 2015, over 1.6 crore youths have been trained under PMKVY across 38 sectors ranging from manufacturing and traditional crafts to healthcare, IT, electronics, and retail.

Importantly, 45 per cent of those trained under PMKVY are women, and a significant proportion belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, demonstrating the government’s focus on inclusive growth. This widespread training effort has contributed to a notable increase in job-readiness among college graduates — from 34 per cent in 2014 to over 51 per cent in 2024.

With nearly 65 per cent of India’s population under the age of 35, skilling and youth empowerment remain critical to securing the country’s economic future.

–IANS

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K’taka quota stir: Siddaramaiah is anti-Lingayat, says Panchamasali seer

Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 12 (IANS) Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami leading the protests demanding reservation for the Panchamasali Lingayat sect under the 2A Category, came down heavily on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday and stated that he is anti-Lingayat.

Speaking to the media in Belagavi, while staging a protest condemning the police action on the community’s members while they were laying siege to the Belagavi Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday, the seer claimed on Thursday, “I repeatedly want to convey that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is anti-Lingayat.”

There is resentment in the community over the lathi-charge on the protesters after the agitation by the Panchmasali Lingayat community turned violent and a mob pelted stones at the police and attempted to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Tuesday.

The police had stopped thousands of protesters on their way to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, warning them not to march further.

The agitators allegedly threw stones and footwear at the police personnel after which the cops resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami warned, “I am trying to be patient. We will pursue a non-violent struggle. You have tried to provoke, assault Panchamasalis who are peaceful.”

“When one of the MLAs belonging to our community went to CM Siddaramaiah and pleaded with him to withdraw the orders of lathi-charge on the protestors, CM Siddaramaiah told him ‘how dare the community offend and oppose’ his government and ‘let them be punished’”, the seer professed.

“I thought CM Siddaramaiah was not there in Belagavi on that day and went to Bengaluru to pay respects to the mortal remains of former CM S.M. Krishna on Tuesday. But he was present in Belagavi. We have not seen such an inhuman CM in the history of the state. We will condemn it,” the seer stressed.

“The FIRs against the protestors will have to be withdrawn and the Chief Minister will have to suspend the police officers who assaulted protestors. I am giving a call to my people to not get provoked under any circumstances. If I give one call, 25 to 50 lakh members of Panchamasali Lingayats are ready to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi,” the seer warned.

Meanwhile, the issue was raised by the BJP members in the Legislative Assembly during the Question Hour.

The BJP MLAs, led by Leader of Opposition, R. Ashoka condemned the lathi-charge and demanded action against the police officers who gave the orders for it.

However, Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, hailing from the Panchamasali Lingayat sect stated that the protest by the Panchamasali Lingayat was RSS-sponsored.

“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the one who ordered installation of photos of Basavanna, the founder of the Lingayat sect in all government offices. CM Siddaramaiah took oath on the occasion of Basava Jayanti, he can never be anti-Lingayat,” Kashappanavar said.

Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda maintained that it was the BJP which gave an undertaking in the Supreme Court regarding non-implementation of reservation to the Linagayats and Vokkaligas.

The BJP MLAs got enraged following the statements and started moving towards the Well of the House. At this stage, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly U.T. Khader adjourned the House.

The Panchamasali community has been demanding inclusion under the 2A category. This will help them to move to the bracket of backward communities where 15 per cent reservation is provided for different communities. The community is presently placed under the 3B category, which gets five per cent reservation in government jobs and education institutions.

The Panchamasali sect is one of the major sects in the Lingayat community and predominantly settled in the North Karnataka region and mostly engaged in agriculture.

The development has taken a serious turn with the BJP pledging total support to the agitation and demands of the Panchamasali Lingayat sect. The Lingayats form the core support for the BJP in Karnataka.

–IANS

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Double murder in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, close friends stab each other to death in park

New Delhi, July 14 (IANS) A horrifying double murder unfolded in West Delhi’s Tilak Nagar area, where two close friends, identified as Sandeep and Arif, stabbed each other and lost their lives during an altercation in a neighbourhood park.

According to initial investigations, the two men stabbed each other during a heated argument on Sunday night, resulting in their deaths at the scene.

The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Tilak Nagar Police Station, and upon receiving the alert, police teams from both Tilak Nagar and Khyala Police Stations rushed to the scene and began a thorough investigation.

Preliminary findings suggest that Sandeep and Arif, both residents of B-Block, Khyala, got into a fight over an unknown issue that escalated to a fatal knife attack. The exact cause of the dispute remains unclear.

Police are examining all angles, including possible personal or financial conflicts.

Both men were married, had children, and lived on the same street with their families. Known to be close friends, they were frequently seen spending time together.

Sandeep was involved in the property business and had previously worked as a gym trainer.

The police have sent both bodies for post-mortem examination at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, and further investigation is underway.

Authorities are also questioning family members, neighbours, and possible witnesses to determine what led to the deadly confrontation.

The shocking nature of the crime has left residents of the area in disbelief. What started as a minor disagreement between friends ended in a tragic double murder, leaving two families devastated and a community shaken. Tilak Nagar police are continuing their probe to uncover the full sequence of events.

–IANS

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Maha PWD seeks release of Rs 10,000 cr to pay striking contractors

Mumbai, Feb 12 (IANS) The state public works department (PWD) has appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar to soon release Rs 10,000 crore to clear the payment of the striking contractors.

The state PWD Minister Shivendraraje Bhosale said he has talked to the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister and both are positive regarding the demands raised by contractors.

“The department is positive about our demand of Rs 10,000 crore to be released at the earliest. It will help pay dues of the contractors,” said state’s PWD minister Shivendraraje Bhosle.

Contractors from Maharashtra have gone on strike since February 5, stopping all ongoing infrastructure works alleging that payments worth Rs 89,000 crore from different departments have allegedly not been paid since July 2024.

Among the alleged Rs 89,000 crore dues of the contractors include Rs 46,000 crore from the state’s Public Works Department (PWD), Rs 18,000 crore from the Jal Jeevan Mission under Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Rs 8600 crore from the Rural development department, Rs 19,700 crore from the Irrigation department and Rs 1700 crore from the works done under DPDC, MLA fund and MP fund.

Bhosale accepted that there are certain issues regarding the payment to contractors.

“However, the dues are not from one year only. Some dues are from the previous years as well,” he said, adding that a major chunk of payments is for road and bridge works.

“These are district-level works where small contractors are suffering. We understand their problems and we are working towards solving those,” said the minister.

He pointed out that a total of around Rs 18,000 crore is needed in the current fiscal.

To a question on a large number of work orders issued in the poll year, the minister defended the move saying that the issue of clearing pending bills to the contractors will be sorted out soon.

–IANS

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