Skill-cum-Common Facility Centre for Filigree Craftsmen to come up at Cuttack

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards employment generation in Odisha, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the Skill-cum-Common Facility Centre for Filigree Craftsmen at Cuttack on Saturday.

He will also launch the Urja Ganga Gas Pipeline Skilling Project to impart formal certification and training to semi-skilled and unskilled workers engaged in the Jagdishpur – Haldia & Bokaro – Dhamra natural gas pipeline (JHBDPL) project being laid in the state.

The projects will be launched on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, who laid the foundation of industrialisation in Odisha. They have been conceptualised as a mark of respect for Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das to carry forward his legacy.

The Minister will also launch a Pipe Fitter-City Gas Distribution (CGD) course which will commence at the Skill Development Institute in Bhubaneswar.

This was announced here by GAIL Director (Projects) Dr Ashutosh Karnatak and Head of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra Aatish Shrivastava.

The Minister will inaugurate the Skill-cum-Common Facility Centre for Filigree Craftsman at Cuttack.

NSDC and Gems and Jewellery Skill Council of India, in association with EduJobs Academy, are setting up the state of the art training facility specifically for Tarkashi artisans and goldsmiths to transform the folk art form of Gems and jewellery.

With the establishment of the Centre, the artisans will not only get an opportunity to upgrade their skills but will also get a window to connect with the global expo market, said Karnatak.

If any worker wants to take industry level training, he can do so at the Common Facility Centre with the latest technology, he added.

The Centre will also provide training on marketing strategies, including e-commerce so that the artisans can be self-sustained and engage directly with buyers.

GAIL (India) Limited, which is implementing the JHBDPL, has entered into a quadripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Skill Development Institute-Bhubaneswar and Labour Net-Bengaluru for Skill Development Activities and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for generating employment in various aspects of the pipeline project, popularly known as Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga.

Dr Karnatak said that RPL will recognise the prior experience of workers and they will get formal certificates which will help boost their income.

Safety training will also be an integral part of their training and around 1,400 people will be covered initially, he added.

Later, more people will be trained as the pipeline work progresses.

This skilling project, being rolled out in Jajpur and Bhubaneswar in Odisha will offer training to unskilled youths in various trades such as Welder, Fitter, Electrician, Earth Moving Equipment Operator, etc.

The training program will consist of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Bridge Course of 52 hours duration on the specific trades and is expected to cover workmen from Urja Ganga Gas Pipeline Project in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.

NSDC shall be the Project Implementation Consultant (PIC) & LabourNet shall be the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) for the Skilling Project.

Most of the workers involved in the pipeline project with low educational level or with the absence of formal training have learnt skills on the job. RPL gives them a platform to assess their skills and get certified, adding credibility to their skills. Through RPL combined with Bridge Training, the workers get a chance to improve their skills and learn new methods of increasing their productivity and efficiency in the workplace.

Pradhan will also launch the Pipe Fitter-CGD course, being conducted by SDI Bhubaneswar in collaboration with GAIL, to provide much-needed skilled manpower for on-going City Gas Distribution projects in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack as part of Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga.

The Pipe Fitter-CGD is a special course which provides employability in City Gas Distribution, Oil Refineries, Power Plants, and other manufacturing industries with piping, vents and ducts for gas, liquid or air.

It will be a three months residential programme in which students will be provided free boarding and lodging on the campus apart from uniforms, bags, study material, insurance, shoes, etc. They will also be given placement / self-employment assistance at the end of the course. Initially, 30 students will be trained in the first batch.