Belagavi, Dec 23 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced on Thursday that the state government plans to introduce a new employment policy soon, which will lay impetus on job creation and reduce unemployment in the state.

Speaking after inaugurating the Jobs Fair at the Gogte Engineering College held under the auspices of the Skills Development Corporation, the Chief Minister said the jobless youth are being given an honorary employment dole to encourage them to find employment.

The government will henceforth encourage such institutions, which are engaged in generating higher number of employment opportunities, he said.

Bommai said the government's thrust and focus will now be on enhancing the quality of education, skills and creation of employment opportunities. The New Education Policy lays stress on vocational courses and works closely with the industry and its demands, he said.

The Chief Minister also said that there is a need to upgrade higher education and professional courses to global learning standards and hence the higher education and skills development departments are working in unison to this effect.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for IT-BT, Science and Technology, Higher Education and Skills Development, C.N. Aswath Narayan, said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that students find jobs which are commensurate with their skills and level of education, which is the whole idea of launching the 'jobs for all' programme by the government.

He said six universities in the state will be upgraded to the status of 'University of Eminence' and seven government-run engineering colleges will be developed further to the level of IITs in Karnataka.

Narayan said the government will come up with an action plan within a month to develop the Vishweswaraiah Technical University, which is headquartered in Belagavi.