Chennai : Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday expressed concern over rising rural urban divide and hoped more people emulated rural uplifting projects to build infrastructure in villages.

Addressing a gathering at the valedictory of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Educational Institutions run by Nachimuthu Industrial Association (NIA), in Pollachi, the Vice President said it would be great if people emulated persons like N. Mahalingam, the founder of the institution, an ideal person who had contributed immensely for the uplift of the people living in rural Tamil Nadu.

These is urgent need to create urban amenities such as educational institutions, uninterrupted electricity, access to drinking water and medical facilities at affordable cost for the benefit of people, he said adding youth should upgrade their skill sets.

Develop the habit of upgrading your skill set in line with the changing technology, he said and cited a report that said ninety per cent engineering graduates were not employable.

Naidu asked teachers and educational institutions to take a good hard look at the curricula and the teaching method so that the gap between a classroom and the workplace can be bridged.

The government, he said, was extremely sensitive to the dreams and aspirations of young India and is doing everything possible in its power to support, nurture and empower the youth of the country. It is up to young people to make use of this opportunity, the Vice President said.