The Hindu Business Line : Employability, not jobs, will be an issue: Khorakiwala

"In our country employability will be the issue, not jobs," said Mr Habil Khorakiwala, Chairman, Wockhardt Ltd, who took over the driving seat at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

He sees the industry chamber not only helping the country sustain economic growth at 8-10 per cent, but would also like to make a "difference in the social sector" during his regime. FICCI would like to focus specifically on education, health and water management.

As industry expands and more companies enter the country, Mr Khorakiwala felt that people do not have the adequate skills to take on the jobs that will be on offer. Towards this and to increase employability, FICCI is looking to take on 500 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the next one year. Apart from forging public private partnerships, it would like to overhaul the curricula at these institutions and make them relevant to the needs of industry.

"Typically, all over the world, the vocational model of education means that the student spends 40 per cent time at the shop floor and 60 per cent in the classroom. We will try to work out a structure that provides adequate resources and has strong industry linkages once there's a principle in place. ITI pass outs will then have employability."

Higher education

In the sphere of higher education, FICCI would like to partner in the execution of the 50 national universities on the anvil to hasten their development, "so that we can have knowledge clusters with all three ingredients - academics, research and industry input. We believe higher education needs structural reforms and that the universities should come up."

In primary education too, Mr Khorakiwala felt that Kerala's PPP model could be looked at. "We need to think out of the box and use new approaches using technology," he said.

Health sector

On the health front, he said that the chamber would push for two particular Government initiatives - an insurance mechanism for the dispossessed people, and certain structural reforms in the health sector. For both, they intend to work closely with the Government.

On industry's expectations from the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, in the forthcoming Budget, the FICCI President felt that the Central Sales Tax (CST) should be abolished at one go instead of phases, for economic advantage of free movement of goods. The Government is planning abolition of CST in a phased manner.

"The Prime Minister's goal of having a Goods and Service Tax (GST) in place by 2010 can be only possible if CST is taken off at one go and not in a phased manner," he added.

Mr Khorakiwala also laid special emphasis on the importance of R&D initiatives in the country and said the Government must continue with the incentives it is giving for it. "Our view is that it should be made even more attractive."

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