Odisha: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan lays foundation stone for National Skill Training Institutes Plus

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], November 24 : Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan laid the foundation stone for the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTI) Plus to elevate the capabilities of Odisha's young cadre on Friday.
NSTI Plus, under the Directorate General of Training (DGT), the apex organisation of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) will train 500 instructors in Phase 1 under the Craftsmen Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) and will further incorporate another 500 instructors for upskilling and reskilling.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony was graced by Odisha's Minister of State for Skill Development, Pritiranjan Gharai, BJP Bhubaneswar MP, Aparajita Sarangi, and others.
Aligned with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making India the Skilling destination of the World, MSDE is introducing several fresh and innovative initiatives and NSTI Plus is a robust step in this direction, enabling the State of Odisha to harness the potential of its youth.
Constructed on a 7.8-acre campus in Jatni, Bhubaneswar, NSTI Plus will not only accommodate institutions like the National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Skill India International Centre (SIIC), but also emerge as a potential hub for diverse skill development activities, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship said in a release.
The envisioned NSTI Plus will also serve as a nucleus for emerging start-ups, an incubation centre, and a versatile hub for cultivating various skills. It also has the potential to serve as a prototype training facility for other states, the ministry added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dharmendra Pradhan, said, "I am delighted to lay the foundation stone for National Skill Training Institute at Jatni, Bhubaneswar under the NSTI Plus Initiative. Every effort of our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is a step towards empowering India's YuvaShakti and realising the vision of a developed India by 2047."
"Furthermore, NSTI will emerge as a modern gurukul to equip candidates as well as trainers with industry and future-ready skills. I am confident that the upcoming state-of-the-art integrated campus of NSTI will empower the youth of New India by providing them with cutting-edge skills and knowledge required to excel in the 21st century, encourage entrepreneurship, equip master trainers with expertise aligned with current and future industry demands and help realize the vision of Viksit Bharat," he said.
Currently, there are 524 ITIs in the region with seating capacity of 1,04,134, and institutions with flexible learning models like NSTI Plus will advance the vocational training framework to be more accessible, inclusive and innovate in its embodiment.
NSTIs will also take on the role of capacity-building centers for educators in schools. The selection of courses and training programs will be meticulously designed in association with industries to meet the needs of the local community. To fuel further growth, collaborative efforts will be made to develop an integrated 4.0 campus for entrepreneurs with modern new-age skills.
Another core aspect is the strategic location of the institute. Surrounded by premium institutions like National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Skill Development Institute (SDI), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) helps in improving the engagement of students with vocational training institute.
By offering specialized training programs, the mega-hub institute unlocks the potential of youth across diverse domains; including Engineers, supervisors, technicians, executives, and faculty members of educational institutions that caters to the needs of both national and international markets.
On the completion of the training, the ministry will provide certificates to students in collaboration with IGNOU, NIOS and NIESBUD to propel vertical and horizontal mobility of the candidates.