Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today dedicated the first Centre of Excellence of Skill Development in the State from Sirmour district by inaugurating newly constructed Centre of Excellence ITI building at Nahan. This multi-storied building had been constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.21 crore in PPP mode by the department of Technical Education under joint venture of National Skill Development Council of Government of India and IL&FS Skill development Corporation Limited. Chief Minister also dedicated the three-storied Modern Police Station building at Nahan which had been constructed by spending Rs. 1.5 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Government was laying added emphasis on skill development of youth so as to provide them better employment and self-employment opportunities. Moving ahead in this direction, the government had launched Skill Development Scheme which would benefit 83,000 youth this year and Rs. 500 crore would be spent on the scheme in five years. Under the scheme, eligible educated youth in the age group of 18-35 years would be provided Rs. 1000 per month as Skill Development Allowance while persons with 50 percent or more disability would get Rs. 1500 per month.
Virbhadra Singh said that this was the first Centre of Excellence for skill development in the State which would provide specialized training in hospitality, tourism and catering. He added that Himachal Pradesh had tremendous potential for tourism and government would make all efforts to exploit this sector which would not only help in generating income to the State but also providing employment and self-employment avenues to the educated youth. Stressing the need for technical education, he said that one ITI would be opened in every constituency. He said that Sirmour district had vast potential for development of tourism and government would take steps to expand tourism activities in the district.
Technical Education and Transport Minister Shri G.S Bali said that three more Centre of Excellence for skill development would be opened in the State with a view to give impetus to the professional courses. He said that professional training would be provided to 50,000 students in next four years. Nahan ITI had been linked with IL&FS Company which would ensure hundred percent placements to the students. Chief Parliamentary Secretary Shri Vinay Kumar, Deputy Chairman, Planning Board Shri G.R. Musafir, Chairman, HIMFED Shri Ajay Bahadur Singh, former MLAs Shri Harshwardhan Singh Chauhan and Shri Kush Parmar, President, District Congress Committee, Shri Ajay Solanki and General Secretary Shri Anup Thakur DGP Shri Sanjay Kumar, Managing Director SIDC and Information & Public Relations Shri Rajinder Singh, Director Technical Education Shri Vijay Chandan and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.