By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 3, 2015

As part of prime minister Narendra Modi’s Skill India Mission, which aims to impart skills to 40 crore people by 2022, the union power ministry on Thursday launched Multi Skill Development Centre at the Indian government owned National Thermal Power Corporation [NTPC], Talcher Kaniha in Odisha.

“The multi-skill development centre is a long standing requirement of Odisha. This Centre will provide skill training in different trades keeping in view the requirement of local industries,” union minister of state [independent] for power, coal and new and renewable energy Piyush Goyal said, inaugurating the centre along with union minister of state [independent] for petroleum & natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Multi Skill Centre will prepare the people as more skillful, industry ready so that they can earn their livelihood in a better way and live with their dignified life in the society. Talcher Kaniha in Angul District of Odisha state is one of the locations that have been identified to establish a Multi Skill Centre in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

NSDC and its training partner GRAS Education and Training Services Private Limited (“GRAS Academy”), will setup the Centre at Talcher to provide skill training to youths and women belonging to the Angul district and other parts of the state of Odisha.

NTPC is supporting the skills development initiative of the Government of India, in line with SKILL INDIA MISSION, by partnering with the Central and State governments to improve the availability and quality of skilled workforce by upgrading/ transforming infrastructure and the quality of vocational education in the country in order to make it demand driven and ensure better employability of the skilled youth.

The NTPC-Talcher unit has provided the space/ building to NSDC to setup the Centre. The NSDC & its Training Partner will setup classrooms and computer lab, etc with all required machinery & equipments, trainers, etc required to impart training in courses that are recognized by National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF).

Goyal also inspected the mining operations at Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited in Talcher , Angul district. Pradhan also accompanied the Coal Minister during the mine visit. Shri A N Sahay, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, MCL who received the ministers at Bhubaneswar airport briefed them about the ongoing operations and outlook of the company, which produced over 121 million tonne coal during the last financial year 2014-15.

MCL is the second largest coal producer in the country headquartered at Sambalpur.