Ten ITIs from northeast to be upgraded

Imphal, Sep 27 (UNI) The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment will upgrade 10 ITIs of the northeastern states within the next two years.

Manipur Information Centre officials said the Ministry had taken up an externally-aided 'Vocational Training Improvement Project (VTIP) during the 11th Plan Period for the upgradation of 400 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) of the country with the objective to produce multi-skilled workforce of world standard.

Under the scheme, 100 government ITIs, including four from Assam and one from Sikkim were taken up for upgradation during the year 2006-07.

The remaining 300 ITIs were being upgraded during the current fiscal and 2008-09. During these two-year period, three ITIs from Assam, two from Manipur, one each from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura will be upgraded.

A source from the Ministry said that the average allocation per ITI is Rs three crore for establishment of infrastructure for multi- skill courses and upgradation of related trades. A minimum of 100 trainees per year per ITI selected for upgradation would be benefitted under the scheme.

Another scheme for upgradation of the remaining 1,396 government ITIs was also being implemented from the current financial year in Public-Private partnership mode.

UNI