Bhubaneswar, Oct 14 (PTI) Union minister DharmendraPradhan today said the Centre has plans to make Odisha thelaboratory of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Petroleum Minister Pradhan, who is also the ministerin charge of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said thiswhile addressing a programe marking Micro Unit Development andRefinance Agency (Mudra) promotion in the state.
"The banks should disburse credit between Rs 10 lakhto Rs 1 crore to Odisha's new entreprenures by Septembernext," Pradhan said.
Stating that about 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh youths becomeemployable every year, Pradhan said both the central and stategovernments should work in tandem to ensure that the youthsget employment.
He said the Skill Developmet & EntrepreneurshipMinistry has been working to ensure skill development ofyouths across the country.
He, however, asked the banks to come forward andincrease their credit ratio in order to help the newentrepreneurs.
"The credit ratio of banks in Odisha remains at 50 percent. This should be 75 per cent," Pradhan said.
Pradhan also thanked banks for disbursing credit of Rs18,600 crore to 66.20 lakh people in the state. Of them, 20lakh were first timers, he said. PTI AAMJM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.