RGIIT failed to address issues of Amethi's youth: Smriti Irani

Amethi, Jan 17: Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology (RGIIT) has failed to address the issues of the youth of Amethi, Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani said on Sunday, Jan 17, adding that "skill development" was the need of the hour.

Speaking on the last day of her two-day visit here, the minister hit out at the 'inability' of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology at Tikarmafi in addressing the issues of the local youth.

She stated that the youth can benefit from a sound skill development programme. Irani said that with the help of Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy, each girl and boy of 980 villages of the district will have their skills developed within one year.

The minister also questioned the development work carried out by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in his assembly constituency here.

"I observed billboards talking about laying foundations but no work was seen on the ground during my regular visits to Amethi in the past one-and-a-half year," she said.

Talking about the Centre's intervention in developing the district, Irani said that with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's help, a fire engine has been provided to Haliapur village.

The HRD minister assured the people that the land grabbed by Samrat Bicycles Limited will be either given back to concerned farmers or a factory will be set there, and one member of each family will be employed.

The concerned land was registered by Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust in its account few months back and later a court ordered to return back the land to Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (UPSIDC).

Irani, who had unsuccessfully fought against Rahul Gandhi from the constituency in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, said that she would take stock of the development in the district regularly.

The minister is also scheduled to meet ground level party activists later in the day here.

PTI