The Hon. Arkam Ilyas

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I second the Motion moved by the Hon. Danushka Ranganath.

¶ 02 This is timely and important. A nation’s machinery depends on its youth. Recently, youth faced uncertainty about their future and unemployment; many queued for passports and visas and left the country. Overall unemployment is about 5 per cent, but youth unemployment is about 25 per cent—roughly one in four. In 2024, 312,836 people left for jobs abroad, likely a majority youth. We are now short of skilled human resources to implement large projects the National People’s Power (NPP) Government is bringing.

¶ 03 Two Cabinet-approved measures address this: first, in agriculture, where youth participation is low and technology adoption weak, we will provide loans at a low 4 per cent interest to 50,000 young people. Second, to counter unemployment driving youth into drugs and crime, we propose housing grants up to Rs. 1 million for youth who left institutions within the last 10 years and are 18 or older, to secure stable housing.

¶ 04 We invite youth to join us in building “a prosperous country and a beautiful life” under the rule of law and with solutions to unemployment.

¶ 05 Thank you.