Imphal, August 21: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Thursday flagged off 16 candidates selected for overseas skill training and employment in Japan under the state’s State Livelihood Empowerment and Entrepreneurship (SLEE) initiative.
At a programme at the Chief Minister’s Bungalow in Imphal, Khemchand urged the candidates to remain connected to their roots and take pride in their Manipuri identity while adapting to Japanese culture and traditions.
The Chief Minister presented each candidate with a replica of the Pena, an indigenous musical instrument of Manipur, and said their experience in Japan should not distance them from their cultural heritage.
The selected candidates completed Japanese language training at the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) International Academy and secured jobs in Tokyo, Hokkaido, Okinawa and other parts of Japan, mainly in the healthcare and hospitality sectors.
An MoU was also signed between the State Bank of India (SBI) and SLEE to provide financial support to the candidates.
Khemchand also announced the resumption of public transport services on the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati route along National Highway-2. He urged people to use the government bus services and said high airfares between Imphal and Guwahati were placing an additional burden on commuters.
One of the candidates, Dhanapriya Tensubam, who secured a job at Miyakojima Tokyu Hotel and Resort in Okinawa, thanked the Chief Minister and said she would work professionally while remaining proud of her Manipuri roots.
