Varanasi, Sep 2 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government is set to build the state's first skill development university in Varanasi.

According to a state government spokesman, different stakeholders are being contacted for the acquisition of land in Varanasi.

"The feasibility study is also on, and the land selection process is likely to complete in the next six months," he said.

Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to set up the Skill Development Mission.

In the past five years, the state government has trained around 10 lakh youths through various skill development centres and over five lakh youths have been linked with employment programmes.

As promised in the Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra of the BJP, the party's manifesto for the 2022 Assembly elections, the state government has pledged to link one member of each family with employment.

Under this, a target has been set to connect 10 lakh youths with the skill development mission in the next five years.

The state government, under 'Project Praveen', will also impart skill training to more than 21,000 students of class 9-12 studying in the higher secondary schools of the state in the current academic session.

For this, the Department of Secondary Education, and the Skill Development Mission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.