Pondy to set up ITI in cooperative sector: CM

Puducherry, Sep 12 (UNI) The Puducherry administration proposes to set up an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in the cooperative sector to meet the demand for trained workers, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said today.

Inaugurating a training programme on ''industrial harmony'' organised by the Labour Department here, he said several entrepreneurs were evincing interest to set up their industrial units here because of uninterrupted power supply, labour harmony and good industrial climate.

Mr Rangasamy said good relations, prevailing between the labourer and the management here, should continue for major industrial units to set up shop in the Union Terittory.

The Chief Minister also said employees should make efforts to resolve their problems through proper dialogue instead of resorting to strike.

Health and Labour Minister E Valsaraj, presiding over the function, said only 53 industrial disputes were reported during 2007 as against 139 in 2006. Of them 13 have already been settled, he added.

Five hundred ITI trained personnel are there in the Union Territory as against the minimum requirement of 1,000, he rued.

Stating that Puducherry was becoming a hub of medical education and treatment, the minister said setting up of private medical colleges could help 300 local students to study medicine every year.

Jipmer was allotting only 25 medical seats for Puducherry, he added.

He also said Cath Lab facility would be available at the government general hospital within ten days and kidney transplantion, which costs Rs four lakh, would be done free of cost here, besides providing Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000 towards medicines after the transplantaion.

UNI