In a first of its kind in the country, the Odisha Government is going to set up a unique project on skill development with an investment of Rs 1,051 crore with Asian Development Bank (ADB) chipping in the lion share of financial support for it.
The Odisha Skill Development Society (OSDS) in its Executive Committee meeting held on February 5 chaired by the Development Commissioner RBalakrishnan has given the final shape of the ambitious project on skill development.
The project will be implemented on “Hub and Spoke Model”, said sources, adding other States are keenly watching this development as Odisha has taken an early lead in setting up of such an initiative.
Thanks to the move of Skill Development and Technical Education (SDTE) Principal Secretary l N Gupta, the project planning is put on fast track mode, said a senior official in SDTE department.
Gupta is meticulously planning and executing the process, which has been speeded up during last few months.
Out of a total investment of Rs1,051 crore, the ADB will extend support for Rs 662 crore and the State Government will bear the remaining Rs 389 crore, said sources in SDTE.
This project will help in setting up eight Advance Skill Training Institutes (ASTIs), which will work as hubs and 30 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to serve the purpose of spokes, sources said.
locations of ASTIs are being finalized as these institutions will be serving to the ITIs established in and around it, so that the ITI products will have the benefit of a finishing school.
Initially, ASTIs will start operating from temporary campuses and full-fledged campuses will be set up in various places in the State subsequently.
While Koraput will have an ASTI, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar will have one each. Other places will be decided soon, said sources.
ADB authorities are in touch with senior officials of SDTE to finalize the locations of ASTIs.
A full-time Chief Executive (CE) of OSDS will be appointed to look after the ambitious project and for the time being Employment Mission Director will hold the CE post to expedite the process, said sources in Government.
Director Employment Mission G Rajesh handling Skill Development and Employment aspects will be looking after the project, said sources.
ADB has already prepared the bid as well as the loan documents, which will be reviewed by the OSDS and the State Government soon, said an official.