Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has proposed to make it mandatory for the promoters of Greenfield Airport at Mopa to accord priority to candidates for employment who are certified under flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) – Prime Minister’s Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY).
Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Vishwajit Rane assured a gathering of students to overhaul skill development courses in the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) by scrapping the outdated curriculum.
“There is no meaning in continuing with the age-old outdated courses. We have to take up new courses for which, we (government) have been discussing. If our students take up these skill development courses, they will get good jobs outside country which is why it is important to transform this department,” he said while launching the central scheme in the State in the presence of Secretary, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, C R Garg and Director of Directorate of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Deepak Desai.
Advocating the need to upgrade the skills, the minister vouched for Goan youth’s good future. Rane said that the State Cabinet may move a resolution making it mandatory for the promoters of Mopa International Airport to employ candidates only with PMKVY certificate for Aviation or maintenance services at the facility. He said the government would introduce aviation related courses in its ITIs to make the youth industry ready.
“We (skill development and entrepreneurship) are a nodal agency to implement this government’s policy and through CM, we need to communicate to Mopa (promoters) that the candidates trained by PMKVY should be qualified for the jobs. If such steps are not undertaken, then we cannot move forward,” he said and assured the gathering that he would pursue the matter to its logical end.
The minister said the agency implementing the PMKVY will keep a track of students even after the completion of their training, till they are employed gainfully. He however lamented that after passing out in ITI, students undergo training in their respective fields but no one knows whether they are employed or jobless.
He stressed the need to tie up with international universities so that new courses are introduced and the students can get placements abroad in the countries like Middle East or the UK. With the world turning tech-savvy, he has appealed the students to keep track about the happenings around the country so as to search for better employment opportunities.
The minister, who also holds health portfolio in Manohar Parrikar-led cabinet, emphasised yet another need to integrate hospitals with ITIs so that the courses tailor made for the health sector could be introduced; and to also upgrade the knowledge of trainers and instructors of ITI.
“There are several opportunities existing in Goa which needs to be tapped by the students. Besides looking into placements for the ITI students, it is also important to upgrade the skills of the trainers and instructors,” he added.
As per the current plan, a new ITI at Mapusa is coming up at the cost of Rs 20-25 crore while upgradation of the Panjim ITI at Altinho is being taken up. Rane informed that Margao ITI is already taken up for upgradation and another at Valpoi is set to come up. “Courses are needed in ITI which are not available in any other ITI,” he said.
Every ITI should have unique identity and for that we have to come together and give a thought. Only then we can move forward,” he said.
