Odisha govt asks departments to submit action plan for skill development program

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Friday asked all the departments to submit an annual action plan for skill development training of youths for 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA), which held its first governing council meeting, asked the departments to submit their annual action plan for skill development training for next two years.

It also discussed the road map for skill development and action plan for skilling 8 lakh youth under Chief Ministers Employment Generation Programme (CMEGP).

OSDA chairman Subroto Bagchi emphasized that the guiding principle of skill development in the state should be to create separate identity ‘Skilled in Odisha’.

Skill Development and Technical Education minister Sanjay Das Burma emphasized the need to strengthen District Employment Exchanges as the district employment officer is the nodal officer for implementation of Skill Training Programme at the district level.

He also emphasized the need for early roll-out of Asian Development Bank (ADB) project which will help substantially in the scaling of the program.

Informing that state government has accorded highest priority to skill development for the employability of unemployed youth, the minister said there is a need for tapping Government of India funding for undertaking skill training program in the state.

In an effort to bring convergence amongst the skill development programs implemented by various departments and to scale up skilling activities both in quantitative and qualitative terms, the state government has created OSDA.

OSDA has been formed as an autonomous society registered under Society Registration Act 1860.

The governing council meeting also discussed on financial authority, drawing and dispersing authority of OSDA, constitution of a four-member executive committee for approval of skill development proposals.