Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced plans to establish Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Skill and Employment Zones across all 75 districts of the state to provide young people with skill training and job opportunities. Work on setting up centres in five districts—Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Jhansi and Gautam Buddh Nagar—has begun in the first phase. These centres will offer registration, career guidance, skill development and employment assistance under one roof. Young people aspiring to work abroad will also receive language training based on the requirements of their chosen destination.

First Centres to Be Established in Five Districts
Yogi made the announcement on Saturday at Lok Bhavan while launching the Skill Training and Employment Zone Development Scheme on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 151st birth anniversary. He said centres would initially be established at all 18 divisional headquarters, with funds already arranged for the initiative. Construction will begin once suitable land is made available. The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority in Gautam Buddh Nagar and the Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA) are also associated with the project.

Tie-Ups With Industry for Job-Oriented Training
The Chief Minister said agreements had been signed with organisations including Tata Indian Institute of Skills, Ashok Leyland, BBC Group, PTC, CIPET, the Asian Development Bank, Minda and Avaada. Their support will help provide training based on industry requirements. For example, nursing professionals interested in working in Japan or Germany will receive language instruction and job-specific training suited to those countries. He added that employment seekers from older age groups would also be eligible to benefit from the centres.

Interest-Free Assistance Under CM Yuva Scheme
Yogi also highlighted the CM Yuva scheme, under which young entrepreneurs can receive interest-free and collateral-free financial assistance of up to ₹5 lakh. He said students would be able to pursue skill training alongside their studies. Describing the country's young population as a major strength, he said combining economic scale with skills was essential for expanding employment opportunities.

Yogi Targets Previous Governments, Cites Employment Figures
Taking aim at the Samajwadi Party and Congress, Yogi alleged that Uttar Pradesh's earlier difficulties were the result of the mindset of previous governments rather than the state's potential. He accused previous administrations of allowing criminal networks to flourish and interfere with employment opportunities. The Chief Minister claimed that more than 9.5 lakh government jobs had been provided over the past nine-and-a-half years and that the One District One Product initiative had generated employment for over 3.25 crore people. He also contrasted the present direct benefit transfer system with earlier governments, alleging that funds meant for the poor did not always reach beneficiaries in full.