Odisha Skilled Development Authority (OSDA) has carried forward the mission of “Skilled in Odisha” to a level of visibility and impact during last four years said officials at the Governing body council meeting of OSDA on Friday. The meeting was chaired by minister of Skill Development & Technical Education, Mrs Usha Devi.

The minister urged the officers to scale up the implementation for 100 per cent achievement of the targets within scheduled time. Chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed to focus on youth mobilisation, quality training and more placements in the coming year. Chairman Skill Development Authority, Subroto Bagchi emphasised on making the ‘work-skills’ aspirational and respectable in the eyes of the society.

He also pointed to bridging of the gap between employers, training institutions and potential trainees. Briefing reporters after the meeting, secretary Skill Development & Technical Education Mr Sanjaya Singh said, “Government has set the target of skilling around 11 lakh youths within 5 years from the year 2014-15 under Chief Ministers’ Employment Generation Programme (CMEGP).

Against this target, OSDA has already skilled around 8.5 lakh youths up to December, 2017 with still three months to go for completion of four years”. The youths have been trained in various ITIs, diploma institutions, engineering colleges and skill development centers.

Apart from that, OSDA has also imparted skill training to youths through Project Implementing Agencies ( PIAs) in the major trades like electrical, apparel & garment, construction, ICT, medical & nursing, plastic processing, refrigeration & air conditioning, production & manufacturing, hospitality, automotive, fabrication and fashion designing.

This year has witnessed a turnaround in Govt-run ITIs in all fronts. The enrolment surged to 84% from 64 per cent n the previous year, he said. Because of the yearlong campaign, the girl enrolment increased to 12.8 per cent from 7.1 per cent in the previous year. Presently, State has 49 ITIs functioning. The work for establishment of 22 new ITIs’ have been taken up on full swing.

Five ITIs’ of Odisha have been ranked among top 20 ITIs of India in the year 2016-17. These Institutes are ITI Berhampur, ITI Cuttack, ITI Rourkela, ITI Hirakud, ITI, Takatpur in Baripada. The quality and expertise of the youths skilled in Odisha has got high appreciation from big employers and industry leaders like CEO, Tata Steel, Chairman Café Coffee Day, Director, IOCL, Chief executive officer, 1-Merit, Chairman Orient Crafts and President, Tirupur Exporters Association, he said. The Skill Caravan has travelled across the state with a great deal of success.