First-of-its-kind event in J&K, TALAASH-Skill & Entrepreneurship Conclave, 2018 aimed at engaging different stakeholders in skill building, entrepreneurship and grassroots innovations concluded today here at SKICC.The two-day Conclave was organised by Jammu and Kashmir Skill Development Mission (JKSDM) and included six brainstorming sessions on skill development, entrepreneurship, knowledge economy innovation, creating human resource for industry and fostering linkages.Minister for IT, Technical Education and Higher Education Molvi Imran Raza Ansari, Minister for Finance, Labour and Employment Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari ,Minister for Technical Education & Trainings Punjab Government Charanjeet Singh Channi, Chief Secretary, B.B. Vyas, Secretary Technical Education & YSS Mohammed Javed Khan and other senior government officers.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for IT, Technical Education and Higher Education Molvi Imran Raza Ansari said, “I am hopeful that my team at J&K Skill Development Mission will try to work on the outcomes of the consultations which happened over the last two days here and devise new programs to improve the skill building environment in J&K.”
The Minister of Technical Education and Trainings, Punjab Charanjeet Singh Channi said that It has been a wonderful experience and I would take the opportunity to thank Minister for IT, Technical Education & Higher Education Molvi Imran Raza Ansari for inviting him to the event and the manner in which the program was conducted is commendable.While felicitating the state level winners of India Skills-JK, 2018, the Minister for Finance, Labour and Employment Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “I am hopeful that J&K Skill Development Mission team would leave no stone unturned in providing skilling opportunities to the youth so that their future becomes bright and hopeful.”Appreciating the efforts of JKSDM, Deputy- Director General, NSDA Ajay Mishra said, “The role of JKSDM is vital in the promotion of traditional skills and crafts of J&K. Handicrafts is a brand of J&K and over the time its value has diminished. Focus should be on the revival of such traditional skills and crafts which can provide employment to a large population.”
Citing the example of the innovative prefabricated solar structures used in Ladakh to tackle harsh weather conditions, inspirational speaker and HEAD SECMOL, Sonam Wangchuk said, “Innovation holds the key to development and the need of the hour is to adopt fresh and innovative methods to solve our problems. We should follow our own things and not follow what others do.”In his concluding remarks, Mission Director- JKSDM, Peer GN Suhail said that the Conclave brought together various skill development stakeholders such as government functionaries, industry captains and professionals from across industries onto one platform to deliberate on important issues related to skill development and entrepreneurship in J&K. He said that government is planning to hold such programs on regular basis.Besides technical sessions, the Conclave included a skill exhibition including local innovations and crafts, felicitation ceremony of the state level winners of India Skill-J&K, 2018 and the institutions and trainers involved with it. Appreciation certificates were presented to the promising innovators & entrepreneurs as well.The Conclave was also attended by representatives from National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), National Skill Development Corporation, Sector Skills Council representatives, academic institutions, industry players, civil society members, entrepreneurs and innovators of the state.