Will work to speed up skilling mission: Pradhan

New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Newly-appointed Union Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that he would work to expedite the skilling mission whose foundation has already been laid.

Meeting reporters after taking charge of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Pradhan said: "In the last three years we have been able to lay down the foundation for skill development in the country. We will now work towards bringing scale and speed to this programme by bringing in convergence and coordination with states, departments, private institutions and other existing skill programmes."

Pradhan was earlier holding the charge of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry as Minister of State (Independent Charge) and was elevated to Cabinet rank with the same responsibility in a reshuffle on Sunday and also given this additional charge.

Pradhan said that Prime Minister Narednra Modi has a vision of creating a new environment of dignified job opportunities for the youth and he would try to deliver on his expectations.

"It is a great responsibility... we will will explore all possible grid system, information systems, technology advent that the country is witnessing, conventional jobs and new age skills to enable a more efficient outcome of our programmes and schemes in skills," he said.

His Minister of State Anantkumar Hegde also assumed office on Monday and both the ministers took an elaborate review meeting with the officials.