CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government’s thrust on skill development and drug de-addiction became evident on Wednesday as it earmarked in the Budget `500 crore and `109 crore, respectively, for the same.
State Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa presented a `73,593-crore state Budget and projected a revenue deficit of `4,252 crore for the current fiscal. Last year, revenue deficit had shot up to `5,259 crore against the Budget estimate of `1,746 crore.
He said the main focus would be on the skill development of youths in the state. “The government will strengthen and upgrade the existing skill training infrastructure and partner reputed private players to meet the skill development requirements of the state,” Dhindsa said.
The minister said the goal was to impart skill development training to at least three lakh youth in the current fiscal by spending `500 crore in both the public and private sectors. “We will also partner the National Skill Development Corporation and leading business houses to implement various schemes for skill development in the state,” he said.