Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the State Technical Education & Industrial Training department to rope in the world class skill development agencies to equip nearly one lac unemployed youth with the latest technological skills in a phased manner. Presiding over a high level meeting here at Chief Minister’s Residence this morning to finalize the modalities to chalk out an action program to provide the best skill training to the unemployed youth as well as up-skilling them in specific fields viz healthcare & paramedics, driving & automotive, animal husbandry & allied farming and construction activity, the Chief Minister directed the Secretary Technical Education to engage the best skill training and placement agencies with proven track record to enhance the capacity building of five upcoming Multi-Skill Development Centres (MSDCs) at Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Patiala with total intake capacity of 7500 trainees. These MSDCs would offer new skill training courses in light engineering, hand tools, garment & fashion technology and welding and so on to our youth in accordance with the felt needs of the local industry.
Briefing the Chief Minister, the Secretary Technical Education apprised Mr. Badal that the construction work had already been allotted to the qualified contractors after completing the entire tendering process and these five MSDCs would be made functional from April 2016. He further mentioned by that time the department would also put in place the renowned skill development and placement agencies entrusted with the task for operational management including execution of aptitude test, admission, training module and placement. He also informed the Chief Minister that another MSDC would set up at Sri Anandpur Sahib for which the site has already been identified and would be handed over to the Technical Education department in due course of time having same intake capacity of 1500 trainees. Besides, three skill development centres to impart training in healthcare and paramedics were being established in the government medical colleges of Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot with total capacity of 2250 trainees. Likewise, 5600 trainees would be provided training in the upcoming construction & building skill development centres at Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar. Apart from this, nearly 4200 youths would be given training in driving and automotive skills at the new centres being set up at Malerkotla and Kapurthala.
Likewise, nearly 700 trainees would be imparted training in specially designed courses related to activities in the field of animal husbandry and allied farming such as dairying, piggery, bee keeping, fishery, floriculture and horticulture etc. in the Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) and Guru Arjan Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU), Ludhiana with a focused approach to promote the much needed program of agriculture diversification in a big way. With all these initiatives in different sectors to promote skill development, the state government would be able to impart training to 21,750 youth under this ambitious program during its first phase. Meanwhile, the State Chief Architect told the Chief Minister that all the building plans and layout designs have been finalized with the uniform pattern and colour scheme as desired by him so that these buildings could present a serene and homogeneous look. She also informed Mr. Badal that all the buildings being constructed for skill development would have the facility of separate hostels for both girls and boys with the latest civic amenities.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Secretary Technical Education Mr. Rakesh Verma, Chief Architect Ms. Sapna, Chief Engineer PWD (B&R) Mr. Ashok Goyal, Joint Director Technical Education Mr. Jagjit Singh and Placement-cum-Nodal Officer for Multi Skill Development Centers Mr. Maninder Pal Singh besides the XENs of PWD (B&R) from Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Ludhiana also attended the meeting.