- Finance Minister Sitharaman announced Rs 1 lakh crore for 3.5 crore jobs under PM Viksit Bharat Rozgaar Yojana
- Over 12 lakh appointment letters issued through various government recruitment initiatives
- More than 1.6 crore youth trained free under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in 200+ courses
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sundday highlighted the Centre's efforts to boost employment and skill development, saying the government has earmarked Rs 1 lakh crore under the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgaar Yojana to support the creation of 3.5 crore jobs across the country.
Speaking at NDTV Profit Business Leadership Award function, Sitharaman said employment generation, skilling and entrepreneurship remain central to the government's strategy for building a developed India. She noted that more than 12 lakh appointment letters have already been distributed under various government recruitment initiatives.
The Finance Minister said the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgaar Yojana, backed by an outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore, aims to create 3.5 crore employment opportunities, while complementary initiatives are focused on equipping India's youth with industry-relevant skills.
Sitharaman said more than 1.6 crore young people have received free training under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana across over 200 courses. She added that the government has also committed Rs 60,000 crore to modernise 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to improve vocational education and enhance employability.
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Highlighting industry exposure for students and young professionals, the Finance Minister said the PM Internship Programme is providing candidates with opportunities to work at India's top 500 companies, helping bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace requirements.
She also underscored the government's focus on promoting entrepreneurship, stating that over 12 crore new entrepreneurs have received loans under various government-supported schemes to start or expand their businesses.
On artificial intelligence, Sitharaman said the AI revolution will not remain confined to metropolitan cities. She said the government is building AI infrastructure across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to ensure wider access to emerging technologies.
As part of this effort, she said 27 AI labs have already been established in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, while approval has been granted for another 543 labs, aimed at strengthening India's digital and innovation ecosystem beyond major urban centres.
Sitharaman said the government's continued investments in employment, skilling, entrepreneurship and AI infrastructure are intended to prepare India's workforce for the evolving economy while ensuring that growth opportunities are spread across the country.
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