No economic growth without human resource development: Sibal
By IANSMonday, May 17, 2010
NEW DELHI - Calling skill development an important factor for sustaining economic growth, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal Monday said it cannot be sustained without developing human resources.
“If you advance economically without developing the human resource, you won’t be able to develop,” Sibal said while delivering 38th Shri Ram Memorial Lecture here.
Calling human resource the country’s biggest asset, Sibal said government is aiming to have 100 percent literacy by 2020.
“India should be literate by 2020, because that is where national assets and real wealth will be created,” he said.
Stating that India had an opportunity to dominate global scene with its human resource, Sibal said inclusive growth was important to ensure this.
“India has the opportunity to seize the power to lead the future, we must seize this opportunity. The population in the developed world is growing old. Countries like India will provide the workforce in future,” the minister said.
“All sections of population need to be developed for this. But I am afraid we are not doing so,” he added.
The minister, however, added that most of the work force lacks training. “Nearly 70 percent of the workforce does not even have primary education,” he said.
