AP CM launches enterpreneurship development institute

Hyderabad, Oct 9 (UNI) India has the potential to become a great economic power by providing appropriate training to youth, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said today.

Inaugurating the Andhra Pradesh Bankers Institute of Rural and Enterpreneurship Development (APBIRED) here, the first of its kind in the country, he said the vast human resources was a boon to the country.

''Only when women compete with men in all spheres of activities, the country will be able to forge ahead,'' he added.

By providing proper training to the youth, the country could achieve faster economic growth, he pointed out, complimenting the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Andhra Bank, Canara Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and State Bank of Hyderabad, for starting the institute to achieve rural development and provide self-employment opportunities to jobless youth.

''The training being imparted to youth should lead to successful gainful employment,'' he told the bankers, who have programmed to tie-up with multinational corporations and other training institutes at the national-level for better opportunities for the youth.

Lauding the commercial banks for launching financial inclusion programme, he called upon weaker sections of the people, including women, to shun private money lenders and avail soft loans from banks.

Dr Reddy said commercial banks had agreed to provide Rs 7,500 crore as bank linkages to the Self-Help Groups.

District level Rural Development Institutes would be shortly started in Rangareddy district for Telangana and at Tirupati for Rayalaseema, Andhra Bank Chairman and Managing Director K Ramakrishnan said.

A separate committee was being constituted to work out on types of training programmes, eligibility criteria for trainees, screening of applicants, devising curriculum, Mr Ramakrishnan said, adding that presently the Institute had tied-up with the National Institute for Fashion Technology for apparel manufacturing, National Institute for Nutrition and multi-speciality hospitals for Home Nursing courses.

The State Rural Development department would facilitate creation of 1.50 lakh jobs this year by providing appropriate training to youth, Rural Development Minister G Chinna Reddy said.

UNI