MUMBAI: Ahead of the Maharashtra budget, demands have been raised from various stakeholders towards support for skill development initiatives in the state, a senior official said today.

There have been demands for skill development in veterinary-related services in rural areas, hospitality services, nursing, tourism sector, horticulture-related activities and allied agricultural services, Principal Secretary (Financial Reforms) Bijay Kumar said.

State Finance and Planning Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had recently appealed people to give ideas and even announced cash reward for innovative suggestion that will be included in upcoming state budget.

The administration has begun seeking views of bureaucrats, collectors, elected representatives from state Legislature (MLAs), municipal corporations, municipal councils and even from zilla parishads on innovative ideas.

According to Kumar, during regional consultations, grape farmers from the crop belt between Nashik and Sangli emphasised the need for skilled manpower to prune grape vines, and of labourers skilled in spraying pesticides in such a way that the produce is of uniform size and is not rejected in international markets for pesticide residue.

"Most of the stakeholders in Aurangabad division stressed upon the need for trained veterinary technicians to solve cattle-related issues. There was a demand for setting up a veterinary college. Besides this, there was demand for trained people in providing allied agricultural services like farm implements, repairs, etc," he said.

Suggestions were also given on how to promote the concept of "bread and bed" in Konkan region, where house owners could rent out rooms for tourists and get training in hospitality, he said.

"Tourists will get home cooked food while the owners can earn some extra income. Besides, if a housemaid is trained in pedicure and as a beautician, she could earn more money from tourists and her status will also be raised. It was one of the suggestion," Kumar said.

There was also a suggestion to start nursing training courses to meet the growing demand for them in the state and abroad, another official from the finance department said.

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