Northeast students to be sponsored for training abroad, says Jitendra Singh

New Delhi: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh has said that, beginning from next year, selected students and youth from theNortheast Region will be sponsored for professional training abroad in some of the best institutions outside India.

Addressing a seminar on " Empowering Northeast India" organised by "North Eastern Development Foundation", said that, to begin with, eight youths will be sent for training in Fashion Technology and Hospitality or Protocol courses.

Jitendra Singh said, his main concern is the mass exodus of youth from Northeast who initially leave the region in search of quality high education and later take a job and settle in other parts of the country. If we have a provision for a streamlined sponsored training outside, he said, the youth will not only gain access to quality high education but would also have the option to go back to their native place and serve.

In the same vein, Jitendra Singh said, he had recently also finalised an arrangement for cost-free training of young doctors from Northeast in some of the best medical institutes outside. To begin with, first group of selected physicians and surgeons will start a 6 month training course in Onco-Surgery and Onco-Medicine in Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai from January 1, 2016, he added.

At the same time, he said, considering high prevalence of cancer in the region, he is also proposing for acceptance of Medical Council of India, exclusive seats in DM and Mch in Onco-Medicine and Onco-Surgery respectively at Adyar Cancer Institute.

Jitendra Singh also disclosed that he was persuading the leaders of food industry to invest in Northeast which would not only enable production of original products with market across the borders but would also generate huge employment avenues for the youth.

He also informed that, with a view to carry forward "India's Bamboo Mission", an international conference is being planned in the first half of next year, which is expected to give boost to the bamboo industry and bamboo related vocational opportunities in Northeast.

Singh appealed to entrepreneurs, business leaders and representatives of consultancy agencies attending the conference to come forward to enter in an arrangement with the DoNER Ministryand thus contribute both professionally and financially to support the efforts to benefit the youth of the region.