Jharkhand government believes it can achieve its target of offering job letters to one lakh skilled youths during the Global Skill Summit that will be held at the mega sports complex at Hotwar on the outskirts of the capital on January 10.

“We will hopefully be able to hand over one lakh job letters as declared by the chief minister earlier,” mission director of Jharkhand State Skill Development Mission Society (JSSDMS) Ravi Ranjan told the media at Nepal House on Monday. While 92,000 youths had already got job letters in various trades, he explained that the remaining part of the target would be achieved within the next three days.

Governor Draupadi Murmu and Union petroleum and skill development minister Dharmendra Pradhan would be present at the opening session of the summit that would be held at Birsa Munda Athletic Stadium within the sports complex. Chief minister Raghubar Das would preside over the session.

Ambassadors or high commissioners of Vietnam, Tunisia, Brunei and Mauritius and senior diplomats from eight other countries interested in skill development would also attend the summit.

“Ten youths will be handed over job offer letters personally as a symbolic gesture,” Ranjan said, adding that about 15,000 more letters would be given out at the venue.

Asked about earlier instances when many youths who were offered jobs left due to poor salaries, he admitted there were problems. “There were issues other than salaries and we have tried to address them as much as possible,” Ranjan said.

About 20 per cent of the new recruits would be placed within Jharkhand, Ranjan said, adding that many applicants weren’t keen on leaving the state for work.

“The apparel sector will be one of the major employers and we convinced them to offer 20 per cent more than what they had planned,” said the skill mission society CEO Amar Jha.

Two technical seminars on would be held, one on thought leadership for skill, speed and innovation for future skill readiness and another on integrating formal education in the skill eco system. The high commissioner of Mauritius and the ambassador of Tunisia were expected to be present at these sessions along with other experts.

“At least eight MOUs will be signed at the summit for expansion of skill development programmes in the state,” he further said, adding that these would be signed with organisations such as ITI- Singapore, UK Skills, Schneider Electric, Indian Institute of Welding, Kemppi India and Centurion University.

An exhibition would also be organised at the venue where skill training providers would showcase their activities in about 30 stalls.