PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday urged Goa's youth to look beyond government jobs and take advantage of growing opportunities in the private sector, stating that the state government is actively creating employment avenues through partnerships with industry.
Addressing the Mega Job Fair in Panaji, Sawant said over 150 companies had come together to offer more than 5,000 vacancies across sectors, including aviation, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, IT, banking, telecommunications, construction, and e-commerce.
"You should not depend entirely on government jobs. Through partnerships with the private sector, we are creating more employment opportunities for our youth," Sawant said.
The Chief Minister noted that nearly 10,000 candidates had registered for the job fair, with thousands expected to participate in interviews throughout the day.
Highlighting the importance of skills and industry experience, Sawant said the government has made experience certificates mandatory for recruitment to posts such as Lower Division Clerk (LDC) and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS).
"Experience certificates have been made compulsory for government jobs. Youth can gain this experience through private-sector employment or the Chief Minister's Apprenticeship Programme," he said.
Sawant emphasized that skill development remains a key focus area for the government. He said several initiatives are being implemented through the ITI Department, the Directorate of Skill Development, and the Rural Development Department to equip students from Arts, Commerce, and Science backgrounds with industry-relevant skills.
He cited the success of the government's six-month paid training programme, which provides stipends, uniforms, and study material to participants.
"Everyone must continuously up-skill and re-skill themselves. In an era of Artificial Intelligence and rapid technological change, continuous learning is essential," Sawant said.
The Chief Minister also highlighted achievements in the healthcare skilling sector, stating that more than 1,500 students had completed specialised diploma courses in areas such as X-ray technology, medical assistance, and Panchakarma, with over 95 per cent securing employment.
On labour welfare, Sawant announced that the government is working on new regulations to ensure better salary growth for private-sector employees.
"We are planning to introduce rules that will ensure salary revisions based on experience, so employees are not stuck with low salaries even after five or ten years of service," he said.
He added that the government has already introduced a one-time Rs 15,000 bonus for workers with over five years of service and is also considering housing, healthcare, and transport benefits, including Kadamba bus fare concessions for private-sector employees.
Encouraging entrepreneurship, Sawant said schemes such as the Chief Minister's Rozgar Yojana and the Startup Policy offer training, handholding support, and subsidies of up to Rs 10 lakh for aspiring entrepreneurs.
The Chief Minister also lauded the Labour Department for successfully conducting 12 job fairs so far, which have facilitated direct employment for more than 2,000 youths in the private sector.
