Chandigarh, Oct 31 (IANS): In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, the Punjab government here on Thursday launched a job helpline for job-seekers.

Launching the Punjab Job Helpline as part of the state government's flagship 'Ghar Ghar Rozgar' programme, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said it would help connect job-seekers and job providers and open up job opportunities for thousands.

The helpline aims to reach every household in Punjab and is designed to call 75,000 mobile and landline numbers a day through a 110-seat back-end call centre.

The Chief Minister asked the Secretary of the Employment Generation and Training Department, which has come up with the initiative, to popularise it to enable youth, especially in the rural areas, to get the maximum benefit from the helpline.

Singh also asked the department to intensify its efforts to provide job opportunities to youth to tap their massive latent potential.

He stressed synergy among the Department of Employment Generation and Training, the Technical Education and the industries to create job opportunities for youth.

Punjab has a vibrant workforce with around 2 lakh youth joining the workforce every year.

The state government was committed to provide employment assistance to at least one member of every household, for which the helpline would prove a boon, said the Chief Minister.

--IANS

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