Bill Gates meets Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and co-Chairperson of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, today met Home Minister Rajnath, who asked him to support Central government's efforts for skill upgradation of workers in agriculture sector.

Commending the welfare schemes being run by the Gates Foundation in India, Singh said after the success of its 'Ananya' child care and maternal health programme in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the scheme should also be implemented in Chhattisgah, Jharkhand and Odisha where there is a large tribal population.

The Home Minister invited Gates to support the Central government's initiative to give a major push to skill upgradation of workers in India's agriculture sector, an official statement said.

Rajnath Singh lauded the Gates Foundation's 'Awahan' initiative which has helped reduce the spread of HIV infection across India.

The Home Minister said the Central government has laid stress on the JAM (Jan Dhan Accounts, Aadhar Number and Mobile Governance) platform and hoped Gates' Potential Digital Financial Inclusion Models can be adopted to improve the Service Delivery System in the country, the statement said.