Sri Lanka plans to create 1 million jobs for young people

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government said it has a plan to create 1 million new job opportunities for young people through a programme "Hope for Sri Lanka" as the country looks to return to normalcy from the Covid 19 pandemic, local media reported here Monday. "Hope for Sri Lanka" will be launched in May and a series of exhibitions covering all nine provinces in the country will be held where job seekers, entrepreneurs, foreign employment agents, those involved in skills development, vocational training will be brought under one roof, said Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Sports and Youth, Development Co-ordination and Monitoring. Rajapaksa said the aim of the program is to contribute to the country's economic development by providing a sustainable solution to the job shortage and introducing young people to other income-earning opportunities. In addition to jobs in both the government and private sector, young people will be directed to go abroad as skilled workers or start new businesses as entrepreneurs, the minister added. Sri Lanka's health officials last week said the COVID-19 pandemic was easing in the country as a majority of local citizens have been vaccinated and received their booster doses. BYy RSS/Xinhua READ ALSO:

• Life in South Asia returns to normal as Covid cases decline
• Australia has $1 billion plan to convert ideas into jobs
• Hult Prize at KU's call to action this year: To create job opportunities for 2,000 people
• Lockdowns have further weakened an already fragile economy with sporadic work activity, loss of jobs, impaired productivity