Huge demand for drivers: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

Launching a Driving Training Programe at a private school on the city outskirts, under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, he said setting up 50 such training centres will be able to meet demand.

Coimbatore, Dec 28 Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy today said there was a huge demand for trained drivers.

Launching a Driving Training Programe at a private school on the city outskirts, under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, he said setting up 50 such training centres will be able to meet the demand of a minimum six lakh drivers.

Earlier, addressing a gathering at a function organised by nearly 50 industrial associations in the city, Rudy said that in order to provide academic equivelance, the Centre had decided to award Certificate to ITI students, so that they can pursue higher education.

Stating that ITI students were the backbone of engineering and manufacturing sector, he said that there was only 3.5 per cent skilled workers in the country, compared to skilled workforce of between 55 per cent to 95 per cent of the total population in several other nations.

PTI