By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 19, 2018: A tripartite MoU was on Friday signed for implementation of a soft skill training programme in some Odisha Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under which 800 students will be trained over two years.

The agreement was inked by the Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA), Tata STRIVE of Tata Community Initiatives Trust and entrepreneur Susmita Bagchi to improve life skills of trainees.

Through the programme, the youth development module of Tata STRIVE — which primarily covers all aspects of employability skill subject — will be implemented in 10 ITIs.

The funds required to the tune of Rs 8 crore for implementation of the module will be leveraged on the basis of 50 per cent by Tata STRIVE and 50 per cent by Bagchi.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed satisfaction over the efforts being put in by OSDA, saying: “The initiative will help in making ITI students employable and set a precedence for the entire country to follow.”

He also thanked Bagchi and the Tata Group for spearheading the programme.