The Prime Minister has emphasised the need to provide gainful opportunities to a large number of young people who join the work force every year by equipping them with demand driven marketable skills.

Inaugurating the 44th Indian Labour Conference in New Delhi today, Dr. Manmohan Singh said skill development infrastructure in the country has to be strengthened. He said the government has launched the Skill Development Mission, which seeks to bring about a massive increase in the number of formally trained workers through Public Private Partnership.

Dr. Singh said that goals of fast and inclusive growth and of building a modern, industrializing economy cannot be achieved without having sound industrial relations. He said employers and workers representatives should work together to achieve an economic growth rate of at least 9 per cent.

Reiterating the government's commitment to the welfare and well being of labour, particularly in non-organised sector, he said that the government has worked hard to translate this commitment into action in the last seven and a half years and it has started yielding results.

The Prime Minister said that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, MGNREGA has checked distress migration substantially from villages and brought about an improvement in the wages of rural workers.

Dr. Singh said that Female labour force participation in the country is extremely low. He said more facilities at work place can attract women. Part time work as full time employment can be the option so that women employee can also look after her family.

AIR correspondent reports that topical and critical issues including Minimum Wages, Social Security and Employability and Employment are being deliberated in the 2 day conference.