HP Governor unveils 100-day youth development roadmap

SOLAN Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta has unveiled a 100-day youth development roadmap at Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, focusing on skill development, entrepreneurship, employment generation and sustainable rural livelihoods under the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. The roadmap was prepared following directions from the Chancellor’s Inter-University Viksit Bharat Task Force, recently constituted to bring universities across Himachal Pradesh onto a common platform. The initiative aims to strengthen innovation, improve coordination among universities and connect higher education with practical skills and emerging economic opportunities. Gupta said youth empowerment, skill development and entrepreneurship were essential drivers of national progress. He highlighted the potential of horticulture, forestry and allied sectors to help young people establish businesses, generate employment and strengthen rural economies. He stressed the need to encourage students to become job providers rather than remain job seekers, bridging the gap between academic education and market demands. The roadmap includes practical training in orchard management, grafting, nursery production, protected cultivation, mushroom farming, beekeeping, tissue culture, soil testing, agroforestry and value addition. It also promotes experiential learning, Rural Agricultural Work Experience, business planning, market linkages and industry internships to improve employability and entrepreneurial abilities. Special attention will be given to rural youth, women, tribal communities, Self-Help Groups and Farmer Producer Organisations. Gupta appreciated Vice Chancellor Harminder Singh Baweja and the university team for preparing the initiative, expressing confidence that its implementation would create opportunities for young people and support sustainable development. Baweja said a dedicated coordinating team would oversee execution through time-bound activities, regular monitoring and outcome-oriented interventions. The university aims to translate the roadmap into tangible benefits for youth and farming communities across the state, supporting self-reliance and contributing to the broader national development vision through stronger rural livelihoods and practical, employment-oriented education.