Lokesh directs SEEDAP to employ one lakh Andhra youth yearly

Andhra HRD Minister Lokesh asks officials to set skill training targets

Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister Nara Lokesh has directed the Society for Employment Generation and Enterprise Development in Andhra Pradesh (SEEDAP) to set a target of employing one lakh youth every year.

He also called for coordination between the Overseas Manpower Company Andhra Pradesh (OMCAP) and SEEDAP to create more overseas employment opportunities for youth who have received skill training.

Focus on targets and job creation

Mr. Lokesh chaired a review meeting with officials of the Skill Development Department at his Undavalli residence on Thursday.

He asked officials to set both short-term and long-term targets for skill training and job creation.

The Minister said effective implementation of skill development programmes would help create large-scale employment opportunities for youth.

He also stressed the effective use of the PM Internship Scheme to benefit unemployed youth.

Officials informed Mr. Lokesh that 5.43 lakh youth had secured employment opportunities through skill development programmes so far.

Andhra Pradesh recorded a 76% placement rate, compared with the national average of 64%, according to the officials.

They said this was the highest placement rate among major States.

The State also ranked second among major States in the number of youth provided skill training.

Employment through job melas

Job melas conducted across Andhra Pradesh had helped 1.02 lakh youth secure employment, officials said.

SEEDAP provided skill training to 41,288 youth in 2024, according to the officials.

Mr. Lokesh’s direction to SEEDAP sets an annual employment target that is higher than the number of youth it trained in 2024.

The proposed coordination between OMCAP and SEEDAP is intended to extend employment opportunities beyond those available through the State’s job melas and other skill development programmes.

PMKVY centres to be upgraded

Officials said Andhra Pradesh ranked second after Uttar Pradesh in the utilisation of the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

It was decided to upgrade all 192 PMKVY centres in the State.

Officials also informed Mr. Lokesh that, under the PM-SETU programme, ITIs across Andhra Pradesh had been divided into 18 clusters.

AM/NS (ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel) had been selected as the industry partner for the Visakhapatnam cluster, they said.

Mr. Lokesh directed officials to finalise industry partners for the remaining clusters at the earliest.

A.P. Education, Skill Development and Training Department Principal Secretary J. Shyamala Rao, AP State Skill Development Corporation Managing Director and CEO G. Ganesh Kumar, and A.P. State Council of Higher Education in-charge Chairman S. Vijaya Bhaskar were among those present at the meeting.

Source: The Hindu