New Delhi: Noting that the unemployment issue was the biggest concern that the country is facing, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said that there is a hard need to upskill the youth of the country. He was addressing during the first anniversary celebrations of ‘Yuva’. The program is a Delhi Police initiative in association with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to equip vulnerable youth, especially those who come from the underprivileged sections of the society.

Mr. Rijiju attended a job fair organized by the Delhi Police at Siri Fort auditorium. Along with him was also Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

Mr. Rijiju said that the initiative to provide skill development of vulnerable youth by the Delhi Police is an example for the others state police units as no one has previously done such earlier.

“Unemployment is the biggest problem facing our country. If you cannot skill India, you will kill India. If we do not skill the youth, they will become a liability and might take a wrong path,” he said.

Mr. Rijiju said that this initiative would not only provide jobs but also life to the youth, who were victimized due to a crime or a conflict with the law, especially those from underprivileged sections of the society.

“By employing these school dropouts, juvenile offenders and victims of crime, the police is not only making them employable but also shaping their lives,” he added.

The Lt Governor said that it was a “happy coincidence” that the ‘Yuva’ Initiative became a year old initiative on his birthday.

Mr. Baijal appreciated the efforts of the Delhi Police and said that the fact that so many people had got jobs under the initiative was a ‘birthday gift’ to him.

“Crime prevention has always been a focus area. If we want to bring in crime prevention before policing, we should target vulnerable youth to come forward and contribute to society… Today I think these 3,000 trained youths are brand ambassadors of the Delhi Police,” Mr Baijal added.

As per the statement made by Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, a total of 2,800 youth, out of the 3,000 trained, have been employed so far.

Such initiatives may indeed help the youth in gaining confidence in themselves to further their career goals. Other state police units need to follow this example and start their own such campaigns.

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