Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship inaugurated the Skill Development Institute (SDI) at Adalaj, Ahmedabad today. This Institute has been established to achieve the National Skill Development Mission of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi which aims to empower the youth of the nation through skill training and capacity building.
SDI Ahmedabad, set up by ONGC, is equipped to impart training in three trades i.e. Fitter Fabrication, Welding and Production Technician, through a six months’ residential program. The first batch of 90 students has been enrolled comprising of 76 students from SC/ST and OBC communities. Aspire Disruptive Skill Foundation is the training partner for the program. With this initiative, opportunities for employment and income generation will open up for the youth of the country.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Pradhan said that nearly One Crore youth are seeking employment opportunities annually. To provide suitable jobs the youth need to be provided requisite skill enhancement training.
The minister said that Skill Development Institutes being set up with the support of the oil sector companies are a major step in this direction. “To meet the aspirations of the youth, Skill Development cannot be done by the Government only. It needs the support of PSEs, corporates, training institutes and industrial sector, all in a cohesive manner”, he said.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has established the Hydrocarbon Skill Council which would ensure setting up and functioning of six Skill Development Institutes (SDI) in different states. Oil PSUs viz. ONGC, IOC, HPCL, BPCL, OIL, GAIL, EIL and Balmer Lawrie have been entrusted responsibility of promoting these Institutes.
Three institutes, at Bhubaneswar, Vishakhapatnam and Kochi are already functional. The fourth Institute has been established at Ahmedabad to meet the aspirations of the youth of Gujarat and neighboring States. Two more Institutes will commence shortly at Rae Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and Guwahati in Assam.
DG, DGH, Shri Atanu Chakraborty, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajesh Agarwal, Director (Onshore) ONGC, Shri V.P. Mahawar, senior government officers, executives from Oil PSUs, trustees, faculty members and students of the Institute participated in the inaugural event.
