We can't take advantage of demographic dividend if we don't create jobs: Anand Sharma

Job creation is paramount for realising the advantage of demographic dividend, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said on Friday.

Addressing the valedictory session of the Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) annual session, 2019, he said the government's needs to prioritise, agriculture and labour reforms through education and skilling.

"We cannot take advantage of the demographic dividend if we do not create jobs. Two-third of the country's population is youth. It cannot deal with a situation of youth unrest," he said.

He emphasised on the importance of the expansion of manufacturing and the need for skilling people to achieve that goal.

Asserting that today's India has been built over decades, Sharma said, "Indian industry, and the confidence they showed at the moment of liberalisation, is a testament to this. We created an environment that encouraged entrepreneurship and investment."