National Workshop on Promotion of self-employment in Punjab

The one day National Workshop on Promotion of self-employment in Punjab was organized by Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Chandigarh, Punjab in Association with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, (NABARD), Markfed, Punjab and Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Ltd. on 25^th November, 2014 at the MGSIPA campus.

SardarParkash Singh Badal,  Honourable Chief Minister of Punjab was the Chief Guest and delivered the inaugural address. He asked the officers of the State Govt. to get ready to achieve the task of self-employment to the unemployed youth by providing them with the requisite frame work and to empower them with viable self-employment opportunities. The Chief Secretary, ShriSarveshKaushal spoke on self-employment and the strategies of the State Govt. in skill development. The programme was graced by the Transport and Employment generation Minister ShriAjit Singh Kohar, Dr. P.K. Uppal, Advisor, Dairying and Fisheries and Shri K.G.S. Cheema, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Punjab. Smt. Raji P. Shrivastava, Director of MGSIPA proposed the vote of thanks. 

The Workshop was attended by delegates mainly consisting of Self Help Groups (SHGs), Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs),  successfulentrepreneurs, banking and finance professionals, research students and academicians, and Govt. officials from different districts of the state. Experts from various fields like Agriculture, dairy, fisheries, poultry, handicraft and home based industries were invited to speak during the occasion. Many successful farmers also spoke about their success stories.

The experts who spoke during the occasion included Dr. SuryamaniRoul, Sr. Vice President, ACCESS Development  Services, New Delhi, Dr. P. Pravin., Pr. Scientist, CIFT, Cochin, Dr. A.K. Singh, Pr. Scientist & BPD incharge, NDRI, Karnal, Shri. Naresh Gupta, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Chandigarh, Sister PrathibhaPandya, Member, Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Ahmedabad, Dr. VineethaVishwanath, Advisor, Udyogini, New Delhi, Dr. Rajesh Tiwari, Executive Director, State Disability Resource Centre, Raipur, Chattisgarh, Dr. K. Ravi Kumar, Director, Central Poultry Development Organization, Ministry of Agriculture and ShriParmjit Singh, Principal Consultant, Regional Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Chandigarh

In the Workshop Dr. Pravin made a presentation on the ‘Employment opportunities in the fisheries Sector’. He spoke on the different technologies developed at CIFT and focused on different value added products of fish where the entrepreneurs / fish farmers of Punjab could take up self employment.   He also spoke about the Business Incubation Centre available in the Institute where the entrepreneurs could get to know about the business.

The Govt. of Punjab plans to organize a series of such events aimed at boosting entrepreneurship and employment potential of Punjab’s youth in various fields in the near future.

 Dr. P. Pravin with SardarParkash Singh Badal,  Honourable Chief Minister of Punjab