In Huzurnagar, Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated the Congress government’s commitment to creating job opportunities for unemployed youth in Telangana through skill development and training. During the foundation stone laying ceremony for a new Industrial Training Institute (ITI), he outlined the government’s plan to enhance vocational training and employment prospects.
The new ITI College, with a budget of Rs 40 crore, aims to tackle the state’s unemployment issue by providing skill development opportunities. Minister Reddy emphasized the importance of ITIs in skill enhancement, mentioning that the first ITI was established in 1950 by then-Prime Minister Pandit Nehru. Today, there are 13,348 ITIs across India that train around 1.9 million youths in 126 trades.
Telangana currently has 63 government ITIs and 212 private ITIs affiliated with the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT). These institutions offer training in various engineering and non-engineering trades under the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS), producing skilled manpower for industrial growth. The syllabi for these trades are developed by the Director General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India.
Minister Reddy criticized the previous BRS Government for not meeting the goals of the Telangana movement, which focused on water, funds, and employment. He mentioned that government-owned ITIs have become unproductive due to outdated training methods. To address this issue, the Congress Government plans to upgrade 65 ITIs to Advanced Training Centres (ATCs) at a cost of Rs 2,324 crore. These ATCs, developed in partnership with Tata Technologies, will introduce nine new long-term and 23 short-term courses starting from the 2024-25 academic year.
In addition to the ITI initiatives, Minister Reddy also laid foundation stones for various developmental projects aimed at improving infrastructure and connectivity in the region. These projects include road improvements in Dondapadu-NH 9, Huzurnagar-Yatavakila, Chillapally-Somaram, Chilkuru-Jerripothulagudem, and Keethavarigudem-Munagala. The projects, totaling Rs 86 crore, aim to contribute to the overall development of the region. Nalgonda MP K Raghuveer Reddy and other leaders were present at the event.
