Work to upgrade the Government Industrial Training Institute at Mettupalayam into a model ITI commenced on Friday.
Minister for Social Welfare M. Kandasamy participated in a ground breaking ceremony for construction work as part of the upgradation.
Local legislator N.S.J. Jayabal, Labour Secretary E. Vallavan and chairman of the Committee of Industrialists and Officials, which manages the ITI, M. Nandakumar were present at the event.
The ITI, situated on a sprawling 12.5 plot acre of land inside the Mettupalayam Industrial Estate, was selected by the Union Government for upgradation as a model ITI.
The plan was to upgrade the infrastructure and improve the courses to suit skill development on the needs of the industry, a release from the Institute said.
The modernisation has been planned at acost of ₹5 crore. It would be met by the Centre and the Puducherry government. While the Centre would incur 70% of the cost, the territorial administration would bear the rest. Following the Union Government’s decision, a tripartite agreement was signed between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Puducherry, and chairman, Institute Management Committee, Government ITI, to carry out the modernisation work.
The Institute plans to introduce more courses in the automobile sector, especially in the field of auto-body repair and auto-body painting. There would be added importance to the ever-green electrician courses. The new courses are likely to be introduced in July next year, the release said.