The state government has decided to set up eight advanced skill development institutes (ASDIs) and 30 industrial training institutes (ITIs) with an investment of Rs 1051 crore with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The ASDIs will be set up at Koraput, Balangir, Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar. Decision on the location of the three more ASDIs will be taken soon. The ITIs will be set up in and around the ASDIs to give the students benefits of further training. Sources said that the ASDIs will start operating from temporary campuses and shift to full-fledged office buildings subsequently. Final shape to the implementation of the project was given at the executive committee meeting of the Odisha Skill Development Society (OSDS) held recently.
While ADB will provide Rs 662 crore for the implementation of the project, the state government will contribute Rs 389 crore. The project will be implemented as ‘hub and spoke model’. The ASDIs will act as hubs and cater to the training needs of the students from the ITIs.
A full time chief executive of the OSDS will be appointed for the implementation of the project. However, till the appointment, director Employment Mission will be in charge of implementation of the project.
Official sources said that ADB authorities are in touch with senior officials of the department of skill development and technical education for finalisation of the locations of the ASDIs.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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