Karnataka government aims to provide 10 lakh jobs by 2009 through jobs fairs which will focus on both employment and training, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said on Saturday.

The fairs would be conducted throughout the state including districts.

Yeddyurappa said a budgetary allocation of Rs 25 crore has already been made for employment and training and ‘if need arises, another Rs 25 crore will be allocated for the purpose in the next budget’.

He was inaugurating the two-day ‘MES Skills and Jobs Fair’, a joint initiative of the newly constituted Skills Commission, state Employment and Training department, Karnataka Vocational Skills Development Corp, Labour Department and Modular Employment Scheme (MES) in Bangalore.

"The fair is unique as for the first time such a joint initiative is being taken up for the purpose in the country", he said.

He also unveiled the Job Hotline-080-600-12345 and the website www.karskills.com on the occasion.

Labour Minister Bachchegowda said the government has decided to open ITIs in all the 175 taluks in the state.

He said despite 36 government training centres being upgraded as Centres of Excellence to impart high-level training and measures being taken to upgrade another 56 training centres to international standards, the government is not able to meet the demand of the industry.

An MoU to impart training was inked with five organisations including L&T and Karnataka Police Housing Corporation, on the occasion.