Orissa inks deals for industrial training centres

BHUBANESWAR - The Orissa government Friday signed agreements with at least 13 companies for setting up industrial training centres in the state, an official said.

Technical Education and Training Director Anil Samal signed the pacts at the state secretariat here with the representatives of the companies in the presence Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Industries Minister Raghunath Mohanty.

The companies who signed the agreements were Action Ispat and Power, Adhunik Metalliks, Crackers India (Alloys), MGM steels, POSCO-India, Rungta Mines, SSL energy, CESC, KVK Nilachal Power, GMR Kamalanga energy, Visa Power, Essar Steel Orissa and Mahanadi Aban Power.

These companies will each establish at least one industrial training centre at identified locations, a senior official of the industries department told IANS. “For each industrial training centre the investment by the company would be about Rs.six crore,” he said.

There is an annual requirement of 140,000 to 180,000 trained personnel in highly skilled, semi-skilled and non-executive workforce in metal and manufacturing sector in the state alone.

The government has signed the agreements as part of its steps to bridge the gap between demand and supply, he said.

As per the agreement, the state government will identify and transfer required land on payment and the company will develop required infrastructure within one year of taking possession of the land.

The government had signed similar agreements with at least nine other companies in May this year to set up industrial training centres in the state.

The companies which signed the agreement May 24 were Orissa power Generation Corporation, TATA Power, Vedanta Sterlite energy, Emami Paper mill, RSB Metaltech, Surendra Mining industries, Monnet Ispat and Energy, Uttam Utkal steel and Ind-Bharat energy (Utkal).

The official said most of the nine companies are taking possession of the identified land.