Over five lakh to be trained with ‘green skills’

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) The Environment Ministry will train over five lakh people with "green skills" for better job opportunities between 2018 to 2021, said Union Minister Harsh Vardhan here on Tuesday.

The Minister, however, also clarified that though the skills provided by them are in demand, the ministry does not guarantee employment.

The Minister said that a total of 5,60,000 people will be trained under the ministry’s green skill development programme with the highly sought after skills which are in demand.

The ‘green skills’ under the programme include — biodiversity conservationists, Effluent Treatment Plant operators, air pollution abatement workers, equipment operators, waste handling and candidates for plantation sectors among others.

Speaking to the media, the Minister said that a group of trainers will be first received here at the ministry and then sent to different parts of the country to train the candidates, at the expense of the ministry.

"We will provide the training in the sectors which are highly sought after but we cannot guarantee the jobs," the Minister said.

Under the programme, 80,000 candidates will be trained in 2018-19; 1,60,000 will be trained in 2019-20 and 3,20,000 will be trained in 2020-21.

"All these skills are in demand and they will get jobs for sure," Environment Secretary C.K. Mishra said.