Self-employment for youths encouraged

Sivam Packiyanathan - Batticaloa Special Corr

Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan awarding a certificate. Picture by Sivam Packiyanathan, Batticaloa Special Corr

Youths are aiming for government jobs. They are not making any effort to engage in self employment or carry out technical education. We do not have awareness programmes in this regard, Resettlement Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan said.

He was addressing the Information Technology Association for Social Development (ITASD) awards ceremony for 50 youths in the Eastern Province at Thannamunai Miyami hall, Mylambaveli in the Eravur secretariat division recently.

Youths who qualified in Network Installation, Intercom Installation and CCTV Installation were awarded certificates by the Deputy Minister at the ceremony.

This institution has been offering the course for the last two years. It contains technical education and basic English speaking knowledge. Youths willing to engage in self employment could be assisted by the ministry with bank loans, technical field tool kits and technical advice, Deputy Minister Muralitharan said.

As this is the first time that a training programme of this nature has been conducted in Batticaloa, all assistance must be afforded to the trainees, the deputy minister added. He promised his support for the institute's future programmes.