Industry must skill, provide job opportunities to disabled: Piyush Goyal

NEW DELHI: Industry must devise ways to skill, train, and provide employment opportunities to physically impaired citizens, said Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.

Goyal said this during his address at the BML Munjal Awards 2024 in New Delhi.

Evoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for skilling the nation and enabling the physically impaired citizens, he called on industry leaders to make skill development available in Braille, and also for those who have other physical impairments.

“There is a need to develop certain skills that would help them become independent,” Goyal said, citing the example of SEEPZ in Mumbai, where 1,500 visually impaired children are trained by the Gem and Jewellery sector for jobs in the same industry.

Goyal suggested that industry leaders identify the strengths of the disabled and make them employable.

“Grievance centres and customer support centres are areas where divyangjans can work, and even in sports. We can also promote divyangjan sports festivals to encourage them more,” he noted.

At the event, he also mentioned about the book titled ‘The Making of Hero’ -- based on the journey of the Hero Group from its initial days to the present. The Minister highlighted the company’s efforts to take India to the world stage in automobile manufacturing.

Lauding the organisers for releasing the book also in Braille, he said: “The effort will inspire divyangjans to dream big”.

Further, Goyal also expressed hope that the book will inspire many entrepreneurs to become job creators. Collective commitment of 1.4 billion people will take India to greater heights and that will happen when they aspire big, he added.

The Minister also urged the organisers of the event to engage startups and younger organisations in the award ceremony in the journey towards a Viksit Bharat.