Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the Centre has approved setting up of 1,000 skill development centres in the state and nearly 5 lakh youth will be imparted training every year there.
After laying the foundation stone of an ITI at Sofi village, with Union Minister for State Vijay Sampla in attendance, he said Punjab would be a "major gainer" under 'Skill India' programme initiated by Prime Minister Narendra.
Sukhbir announced all banks would provide loans at low interest rate upto Rs 10 lakh to the trainees and entrepreneurs to start their units.
On proposed domestic airport at Adampur, he said the administrative work has been completed and the physical work would be initiated soon.
Announcing a major project for the overall development of the villages, he said the Punjab government has fixed a target to provide 100 per cent sewerage, concrete roads and solar lights in all 12,400 villages of the state at a cost of Rs 35,000 crore in next five years.
He said in 167 cities and towns, work on sewerage and water supply has been completed with Rs 9,000 crore whereas the remaining cities would be covered till March 31, 2017.
Terming former Hockey Olympian Pargat Singh and cricketer-turned-politican Navjot Singh Sidhu as "spent forces", he said "Sidhu got hit wicket whereas Pargat made self goal by joining the sinking ship of Congress."
"Wishing Congress good luck" on inclusion of "both leaders", he said "it would not impact SAD in any case as they have lost their credibility by bargaining with various political outfits and now they have finally joined Congress as they failed to receive any buyer."
Earlier addressing the gathering, he announced Rs 1.25 crore for development of Sofi.
In his address, Sampla said the the SAD-BJP coalition would contest elections on the agenda of development and brotherhood.
Technical Education Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said the ITI construction would be completed within a year at a cost of Rs 13.85 crore and classes would start from next academic session.
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