Actress Shilpa Shetty to setup 1,000 skill centres, Bollywood stars to endorse the program

Mumbai : Actor-turned-entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty is all set to promote the NDA government’s ambitious skill development mission across the country and train youth in yoga, fitness, fashion designing, media and entertainment among others skills.

The actor plans to set up 1,000 skill centres and also rope in other Bollywood stars to endorse the programme, which she has initiated in her personal capacity.

The venture comes at a time when exponents of ‘authentic yoga’, including Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravishankar, have come together to stop the likes of Shilpa Shetty from promoting what they call ‘synthetic yoga’.

The Union skill development ministry is not associated with Shetty’s venture.

KP Krishnan, secretary in the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship, said he was not aware of the actor’s involvement in the mission. “She might have joined a private initiative under the mission (National Skill Development Mission). Anyone can work for this mission under the given guidelines and rules.”

Officials said private players can set up Skill Development Centers under the framework laid down by the ministry and impart training as partners or providers. The mission aims to train over 40 crore youth in different skills by 2022.

Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra said, “Shilpa is going to lend her support in terms of creating awareness by way of yoga and fitness sessions and through small documentaries to promote development initiatives on various skills.”

Note: News shared for public awareness with reference from the information provided at online news portals.