THE Punjab government’s newly-created department of employment generation is preparing to take on the Herculian task of reducing unemployability in the state. The state government is planning to provide 3.57 lakh jobs every year till 2020. The Education & Technology Services (ETS) of the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) will provide consultancy services as a state programme management agency. IL&FS, an ORIX Group company, established ETS as an online education-related services company. ETS is a developer and provider of high quality educational services, primarily for elementary and junior high schools. Pardeep Singh, MD, IL&FS ETS, gave a detailed presentation to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in this regard on Tuesday. Mr Badal said the Punjabi youth have to be absorbed in remunerative ventures provided they are equipped with the training necessary for the growing industry and service sector. The aim of the new department is to provide needbased training programmes to impart skills necessary for construction industry, driving and private security. The government and the IL&FS will chalk out a detailed action plan to restructure the existing curriculum of the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). The IL&FS would coordinate with MNCs, industry and ITIs to develop market-focused curriculum, identify agencies for development of multimedia and web-enabled content and develop IT-infrastructure to efficiently deliver the content to ITIs. The government hopes to generate jobs in construction, hospitality, entertainment, food processing, manufacturing, light industry, garment, textile and hosiery industries, besides new areas in retail, real estate, health services and business process outsourcing (BPO).