Orissa inks pact with 8 mega units for ITCs

To bridge the gap between the available skilled manpower and demand from the upcoming industries, the Orissa government today signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with eight mega industries for setting up quality Industrial Training Centres (ITCs) in the state.

Anil Samal, director, technical education and training, Orissa government and representatives of eight industries signed the document in the presence of the chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

The companies which inked the agreement with the government are Orissa Power Generation Corporation (Hemagiri), Tata Power Ltd (Banki), Emami Paper Mills (Balgopalpur), RSB Metaltech (P) Ltd (Kalyansinghpur), Surrendra Mining Industries Ltd (Bonei), Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd (Teleibani), Uttam Utkal Steels (Jhumpura), Ind-Barath Energy (Utkal) Ltd (Lakhanpur).

Though twenty seven industries and public sector undertakings had evinced interest to set up ITCs in the state, eight have signed the MoU in the first phase.

The remaining industries are expected to sign MoUs with the state government in phases.

As per the MoU, the government would identify and transfer the land required for setting up the ITCs. The sponsoring companies would have to develop the required infrastructure in those centres as per the norms of National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT). However, the mega industries would have to pay for the land whether it is government or private land.

All required support would be extended by the directorate of technical education and training for setting up the ITCs where craftsman training in demand responsive trades would be imparted.Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said, the focus of the industrialisation process in Orissa has been on the inclusiveness to take care of the disadvantaged and the vulnerable people.

The government has already stipulated the norms for employment of locals in all industries, development of ancillary and downstream industries and skill development of the local youths.

He said, the admission to the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), polytechnics and degree engineering colleges has increased from 30,000 to 1.2 lakh per annum in the last decade.

Signing the MoU with eight mega industries for setting up ITCs would take the state closer to the target of having at least one ITI or ITC in every block of the state.

Chief secretary T K Mishra, Additional Development Commissioner, R N Senapati, industry minister Raghunath Mohanty, industry secretary Saurabh Garg, principal secretary to the chief minister Bijay Kumar Patnaik and other senior officials were present on the occasion.