Coronavirus: National Skill Training Institutes to be used as quarantine centres

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on Sunday said it has decided to make available National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and their hostels across the country for conversion into quarantine/isolation facilities, aspart of the government's preparedness to fight the spread of coronavirus.

"The decision was taken by the Ministry to align its efforts with the Centre in preparedness for the pandemic that has caused tens of thousands of deaths globally," an official statement said.

India implemented a nationwide lockdown last week to encourage social distancing among people and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has also provided the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) a list of around 1 lakh personnel who have been trained in healthcare skills through various programmes under the Skill India Mission.

"Trained in various job roles, these candidates will boost the efforts to contain the spread and treatment and care of infected people in the new quarantine/isolation/ hospital facilities being set up," the statement said.

In addition, a list of 2,000 healthcare trainers and more than 500 healthcare assessors has also been shared with MoHFW, the ministry said.

Further, the personnel of the ministry have decided to contribute at least one day's salary to PM CARES fund to aid the government's efforts to fight the corona virus pandemic.

Union Minister of Skill Development and EntrepreneurshipMahendra Nath Pandeysaid the addition of NSTIs will help district and state administrations in treating people infected by the virus by providing an alternative for hospitals and health centres.

"We have requested all regional directors of NSTIs to fully cooperate with state government authorities to help them meet the requirement of facilities as and when it arises.

"In addition, the state governments can also use the premises of ITIs for the same," Pandey said.

Run by the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, NSTIs are premier institutes that provide training in specialised skills across its training centres in the country.