Youth should prepare for 500,000 jobs to be generated after 6 months: Ravi

Five hundred thousand jobs will be created through ongoing development projects under the good governance administration in the next six months, according to Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. 

The Minister says therefore the youth of this country should prepare for major opportunities. Minister Karunanayake announced this at a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for a swimming pool at Vystwyke Park in Mattakkuliya on 22 February.

Speaking further, Minister Karunanayake said that it was a problem for the Government to solve the unemployment problem as many youths were seeking jobs in the public sector.

“Any male or female youth gives preference to having a government sector job. But the private sector pays handsome salaries, sometimes three times higher than public sector salaries. Simultaneously, private sector employees have to do three times as much work as those from the public sector. About 500,000 jobs will be generated under the ongoing development projects in the next six months. When a foreign investor prepares to offer 1,000 jobs, we have only 100 qualified applicants. This situation should be changed. An attitudinal change in youth is essential today. They should use their cell phones for the betterment of the country rather than using them for gossip.

“Prime Minister Narasingham Rao changed the social situation in Indian two decades ago. India receives its highest revenue from America through Information Technology today as a result. We also should follow that system and create a favourable system here. When we try to do some innovative things, the bankrupt Opposition hurries to make allegations and makes a big noise. I would like to say that we do not care about such allegations. Dynamic people are always targeted. If we too did not do any work, nobody would have blamed us. Therefore, we do not work according to the advice given by the Opposition but do so according to the advice of the people,” the Minister said.

The foundation stone was laid for the swimming pool which was a long awaited need for the area. Construction of the swimming pool is expected to be completed at a cost of Rs. 100 million by next October. 

In addition, the foundation stone for the sports complex on 17th Lane in Kotahena was also laid today. Rs. 50 million will be spent to construct the sports complex. Colombo Municipal Council Commissioner V.A.K. Anura and several former municipal councillors participated in the event.