CHENNAI: Karnataka Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, emphasised the importance of skilling over policymaking as a key driver of job creation at the 13th edition of ThinkEdu Conclave 2025 on 28 January.Kharge discussed the need for a robust ecosystem to generate employment, stating that good policies alone are not enough during a session titled “INDIA and Congress: State of Suspension?”.In response to a question from Editor Santwana Bhattacharya about job creation in the past 18 months, Kharge highlighted the state government’s approach: “Our idea is very clear—skill locally and work globally.” He further referenced a recent statement by the US President, underscoring that only competent individuals will be granted entry into the country.He put the spotlight on the three-pronged approach of the Karnataka government — firstly, filling the promised 2.5 lakh government posts with his department hiring around 1,400 people; secondly, helping youth to stay afloat after their graduation by providing financial incentives of ₹3,000 for graduates and ₹1,500 for diploma holders; and thirdly, creating a conducive environment for employment.He noted the establishment of a Skill Advisory Committee for emerging technologies and established the NIPUNA program, which he described as the world’s largest skilling initiative. He also said that the state government has focused on skillset development and has so far established around 27 centres of excellence across diverse fields from agriculture to aerospace.Kharge emphasised the critical importance of skillset development, citing alarming statistics that only 22% of India’s 1.5 million annual engineering graduates are employable. He further highlighted the potential global economic loss of ₹8.5 trillion by 2030 due to skill gaps. With this in mind, he outlined Karnataka’s goal to become the “skill capital and knowledge destination of the world,” aiming to cultivate a talented workforce that can attract global businesses and drive economic growth.
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