Jammu, Jun 26 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir will make 18 upcoming polytechnic colleges functional by August this year focussing on latest job-oriented courses to enable the pass-outs to compete in the private sector with more confidence and vigour. "Eighteen upcoming polytechnic colleges would be made functional by August this year in Jammu and Kashmir", Minister for Medical Education, Technical Education, Youth Services and Sports, R S Chib said at Kathua, 80 kms from here. Reviewing the status of these colleges, he asked the executing agency Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) to maintain the deadline by putting in all efforts to ensure their expeditious completion. The colleges, being constructed in hitherto uncovered districts of the state, are estimated to cost Rs 14.50 crore, he said. The minister said that the construction of all these colleges is being monitored by the chief minister himself to ensure their timely completion. Focus was also being laid on introduction of latest job-oriented courses to enable the pass-outs to compete in the private sector with more confidence and vigour, he said. Elaborating on the skill development mission, the minister said that the government has a target of training 40 lakh youth in vocational, modular and diploma courses by 2022 under the programme. Exuding confidence that private technical institutions would supplement the government efforts in tackling the vexed unemployment problem in Jammu and Kashmir, Chib said that a big initiative is being taken to provide job specific professional education to youth. PTI AB KUN
