Mumbai, Sep 29 — Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that to make the country’s youth employable, it is essential to integrate skill development, training and employment alongside education.
He stressed that merely acquiring a degree is not enough, and with rapidly changing technologies such as AI, semiconductors and quantum computing, continuous upskilling is the need of the hour.
He added that there is huge demand for human resources in over 28 countries worldwide, and the government is actively working to provide international employment opportunities to Maharashtra’s youth.
He was speaking at the online inauguration of the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Maharojgar Melava across all districts of the Konkan and Nashik divisions. The event was organised by the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women’s University in Mumbai.
During the event, the Chief Minister personally presented appointment letters to Sahida Parmanik and Kanti Shambhu Chavan, both hired by Crewa Capital Services Pvt. Ltd.
CM Fadnavis said the job fair was organised under the Sewa Sankalp Abhiyan to mark 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
He said the fair would open up maximum employment and self-employment opportunities for youth in the Konkan and Nashik divisions.
He said education, training and employment form the critical triad required to fulfil PM Modi’s vision of a Developed India (Viksit Bharat).
He emphasised that human resource development through education, training and employment is the foundation for achieving a Developed India by 2047.
“To realise our dream of a poverty-free, unemployment-free and disease-free India, we must build our ecosystem on this three-pronged strategy. Today, 65 percent of the country’s population is an active youth workforce. While entrepreneurs need skilled human resources, young people need jobs. These job fairs serve as a robust bridge connecting both sides,” he said.
Skill Development, Employment and Entrepreneurship Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha stated that under the Chief Minister’s guidance, initiatives are no longer limited to ITI students. At least three mini-job fairs are being organised in every taluka for youth from all educational backgrounds.
He said the department provided seven days of free pre-employment training, benefiting 61,000 young men and women. With over 1,00,000 registrations for the fair, the department aims to connect at least 70 per cent of participants with job or self-employment opportunities.
Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil said his department is working with the Skill Development Department to ensure employment avenues match the number of graduating students. Beyond job fairs, the initiative focuses on preparing candidates for interviews through soft skills, communication, personality development and management training.
Minister Jaykumar Rawal highlighted Maharashtra’s position as a top investment destination in Asia and the country’s “Startup Capital.”
He said the government is prepared to provide foreign language and skill training to youth seeking employment abroad. Additionally, under the Mobility project, Rs 2,500 crore is being invested in agriculture and marketing sectors to connect farmers’ children with industry and employment.
Across 12 districts in the Konkan and Nashik divisions, over 1,500 employers and 1,00,000 job aspirants registered for the Maharojgar Kumbh. Employers posted requisitions for more than 25,000 vacancies. Candidate-employer matching was coordinated with local educational institutions, government ITIs, district administrations, MIDC, universities and industrial associations.
To encourage women’s participation, an exclusive job fair was organised at SNDT Women’s University, with 36 companies recruiting women across sectors. State corporations also set up informational stalls to promote self-employment schemes.