-The Odisha State Employment Mission Society (OSEMS) would promote training in agriculture and allied sectors. This was decided at the Project Approval Committee meeting of the society held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati at the Secretariat here on Friday.
The Chief Secretary directed the OSEMS to undertake skill enhancement programmes in agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors. “Train more youths in mechanised agriculture as this would generate more self-employment and add to domestic productivity,” he said.
Pati also advised the Department of ET& TE to make the skill development framework more flexible and need-based. Development Commissioner Aditya Padhi said follow-up services should be provided to trained youths in agri entrepreneurship so that they are actually engaged in self-employment ventures.
The Chief Secretary said there is a growing need for high quality flood and submergence-resistance seed varieties in the State. The Agriculture Department was asked to identify such seeds. The Employment Mission and the Agriculture Department together should work out the training modules so that skill development training could be undertaken during the current financial year.
Pati also advised that potato can be grown during different seasons in the State’s various agro-climatic zones. The Horticulture Department was directed to identify the areas and verities of potato to be grown during different seasons.
The Horticulture Department was also asked to prepare definite training modules for skill development training in poly house horticulture and potato production. The OSEMS and the departments were advised to involve experts from the OUAT and commercial banks in identification of the skill areas for promotion through training and other supports.
It was decided that the quality of training imparted through Project Implementing Agencies ( PIAs) would be evaluated by a third party. ET&TE Secretary CS Kumar said the OSMES has already invited expression of interest for empanelment of such agencies. It was decided that the agencies engaged by the OSEMS as PIA or its sister organisation would not be eligible for empanelment as third party assessment agency.
The OSEMS has set a target to train around 25,000 people during the current financial year. Training in each module would be imparted for 600 hours. Funds would be provided at the rate of `25 per hour of training.
So far, 36 PIAs have been empanelled. The Chief Secretary directed the OSEMS authorities to identify more credible PIAs from among industries and industry associations having captive employment chances.