In order to carry forward the brand of 'Skilled in Odisha', a meeting of the Project Approval Committee of the Odisha State Employment Mission held on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi approved the proposals for training around additional 16,500 candidates in different trades during this year.
Padhi directed the respective departments to ensure higher quality in skill training. Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan added that international standards should be followed in imparting of driving training and the department should take initiatives of contacting the bulk international employers.
State Employment Mission Director Rajesh Gopalan presented the proposals and outlined the issues for discussion.
The committee approved the proposal of the Commerce & Transport Department for imparting light motor vehicle training to 7,000 youths and heavy motor vehicle training to 2,000 youths. Earlier, the committee had approved the HMV training for 800 youths.
Explaining the proposal, Gopalan said the target group in lMV training programmes would be SC, ST, women and BPl candidates. It would be a non-residential programme, and the total duration of the training would be around 180 hours in 45 days. The candidates having Class-VIII qualification within 18 to 35 age group would be eligible for this training. About Rs 4.85 crore would be invested for this purpose.
The HMV training would be residential.
The lMV drivers having minimum one year's experience in driving would be eligible for this course. The duration of the training would be around 240 hours within 30 days. Around `5.32 crore of investment has been estimated for this training.
The committee also approved the training proposal of the Directorate of Technical Education & Training for imparting skill training to 7,039 candidates in different trades involving a cost of `10.84 crore. Around 16 trades in basic automotive servicing, mechanic, accounting, integrated course in hair and skin makeup, electrician, arc and gas welder, steel and metal worker, embroidery, industrial sewing machine operator, print publishing assistant, computer hardware assistant, computer network assistant, digital photography, fashion design technology, etc., have been included in this programme.
The Chief Secretary advised for taking up more pragmatic skills having demand in national and international markets.