Bhubaneswar, Mar 14: Odisha government has targeted to provide self-employment to around 10 lakh labourers those returned to the state amid Covid pandemic last year. 

As per the Minister for Skill Development and Technical Education Premananda Nayak, as many as 10,07,330 wagers those used to work in other states returned back to Odisha following the pandemic. The work force includes 1,81,702 skilled and 5,54,754 unskilled persons as per the skill mapping.

Odisha government is proactively implementing the Sankalp mission in order to make all the jobless self-reliant, the minister said.

Sankalp has already been implemented in 16 districts of Odisha so far. This will be extended to next 14 districts by this April, said Nayak. 

These human resources are getting skilled with technical trainings through Panchayat Raj, Drinking water, ORMAS and Rural works departments. After successful completion of skill-based training, they are being engaged at their own fields, Nayak said.