New Delhi,  (IANS) Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has called for maritime organisations to work out skill development solutions that could provide low-cost, quality training to the youth and enable them to get jobs.

Addressing the first meeting of the shipping ministry’s advisory committee on skill development on Wednesday, Gadkari said: “Exercise for bridging the skill gap in the sector holds special significance as the maritime sector is expected to generate over a crore of jobs directly and indirectly.”

“The projects for modernisation and capacity enhancement of ports, setting up of industrial clusters, port connectivity projects and development of inland water transport are expected to throw up a wide variety of jobs, and it is essential to equip the youth and build their capacity to take advantage of this golden opportunity,” said Gadkari.

The committee was set up in April 2016 to help organisations under the Shipping Ministry to identify existing skill gaps and work out a roadmap for up-scaling their skill development initiatives.