Plans to provide 100,000 jobs to unskilled youths reaches final phase

The plan to recruit 100,000 unskilled youths to a multi-task human resource force has reached its final stage. This is being done under the Vision for Progress envisaged in the election manifesto of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The notification calling of applications would be issued by January 20. Under this scheme, youth belonging to the poorest of poor families will be selected. This would provide an income to these families and would raise their standards of living.

Once recruited, they will be provided with skills training and be deployed to different public sector institutions for employment. While deploying them, the youths will get priority to join an institution closer to their residences.Under this scheme, unemployed graduates will also get employment to manage this recruitment of youth, training and job deployment.

The recruitment will be conducted under the supervision of Buddhist monks and other heads of religious places, government agents and public officials. The assistance of security force officials will also be obtained for the recruitment process.

The youths will be employed in hospitals and government offices as unskilled workers and in other departments such as fisheries and wildlife after training them in the required skills. They will also be trained in skills such as carpentry, masonry and other such vocations and would be deployed to the government services where such workers are required. (Lahiru Pothmulla)