Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday, said the MoU entered into with the United States Labour Department, would help in developing skills among Indian labourers.

Kharge said India and Hilda Solis, Secretary, US Labour Department signed the MoU on February 2. The agreement will facilitate close cooperation and interaction between the two countries, he said.

“It will enable Indian youth develop skills which will help them net better opportunities in the job market, improve standards of health and occupational safety, the minister said.

The agreement will ensure mutual sharing of knowledge and training between the two countries, he said. In order to develop a strong skill base, the Union government will set up advanced skill development and training centres at four places in the country. One such centre will be established at Peenya in Bangalore.

“We want to adopt latest technology and best practices for the safety of our workers,” the minister said.

The Union Minister noted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s vision was to train 500 million persons by 2022 and that his department alone had set a target of training 1.7 crore labourers.