Bhubaneswar: Odisha Skill Development Minister Sampad Swain emphasized the expansion of Skill Development programmes to the Higher Education course and linked to Mission Shakti and Industrial sector.
He said that the programme should not be confined to some category of students. While holding a review of the Skill Development Programmes, the Minister highlighted on linking of Skill Development specifically to Industry and Industrial sector as well as with Mission Shakti.
He has said that Industrialists and Companies are inking pact to absorb the youth of Odisha in their arena but in fact outside persons are joining there. Because of lack of skill development, our youths are being deprived of getting job programme, he added.
It is imperative to link the skill development training programme to industry and higher education, said Swain. He also sought the ongoing programme of the Department and sought a plan for 100 days.
The Principal Secretary of the Department Usha Padhee narrated about the ongoing projects of the Department. She said that it is aim of the Department to link the skill-development to job opportunities.
In order to spread awareness among the youth, the department has a proposal to launch Kaushal Rath which is the awareness of Skill Development on wheel. The Kaushal Rath shall cover all 30 districts focusing on High Schools, Ashram Schools, Childcare Institutions, Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups, ITI and Polytechnics.
For this purpose two OSRTC Buses will be run on two routes covering 30 districts. The Buses will be equipped with required advanced audio-visual facilities as well as experimental labs for selected trades for hands-on experience.
Local Public Representatives, parents, and students will be invited to participate in the programme. Apart from this 1st Kaushal Bhawan is being developed within the premises of World Skill Centre, Bhubaneswar to provide hospitality training to youth especially facilities for training in Culinary Science, Food and Beverages, House Keeping Services and Front Office Associate Courses. The Bhawan has a capacity of skilling 310 youth annually which shall be increased gradually.
Another programme like Chief Minister’s Skill Development Fellowship Programme in line with the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship Programme has been initiated to support the District Skill Development and Employment Officers in the Districts. This will also supplement the model career centres.
Mandatory participation in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is one hand, explained Padhee. Teaching, learning and resources (student-teacher ratio, faculty qualification and experience, faculty-student ratio are major parameters of the ranking system.
A dedicated NIRF cell is to be established at BPUT to monitor and guide the Govt. Technical Universities and affiliated colleges of BPUT as per the ranking mandate of NIRF.
Principal Secretary Padhee make the Minister learn about the different schemes of the Department. Among others, the Director and other senior officials were present.
