Guwahati : The Assam government on Wednesday signed MoUs with its Singapore counterpart for skilling over 78,000 rural youths in the state by 2019 and greening Guwahati.

The Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Terms of Reference (ToR) for setting up the North East Skills Centre (NESC) and Greening Guwahati City was inked in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at the Administrative Staff College here.

The MoU and ToR for NESC was signed between Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship Department and ITE Education Service of Singapore. The NESC will train up to 400 students each year.

The MoU for Guwahati city’s greening was inked between the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority and Singapore Corporation Enterprise.

“The Assam government aims to create a workforce empowered with upgraded skills, knowledge and internationally recognised qualifications to gain access to employment and ensure India’s competitiveness in the dynamic global market with support from government of Singapore,” Sonowal said at the event.

The skill development training will be imparted to 78,500 poor rural youths during 2016-19 under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana.

Sonowal said an innovative project — Guwahati Open Space and Park Integrator Network — for the beautification of Guwahati and improvement of quality of life of its inhabitants had been initated.

The Chief Minister highlighted the state’s natural resources and tourism potential and sought the Singapore government’s cooperation for showcasing it to a global audience.

The Singapore Minister said the joint endeavour will mark the beginning of a lasting friendship, beneficial for both Assam and Singapore.

—IANS