Yantra-VIDA to train manpower for industries

Nagpur: Yantra India limited (YIL) — one the PSUs formed out of ordnance factories — and Vidarbha Defence Industries Association (VIDIA) have joined forces to offer technical courses in line with the needs of the industry. The training would be available for personnel at all levels. There are plans to also offer courses for personnel coming out of the armed forces, after their tenure as Agniveers ends. The modalities of such courses for ex-soldiers are being worked out.
The other programmes that are ready to start include training in aerospace and defence industries at all levels. VIDA is a body of industries in Vidarbha region catering to the defence sector. The idea of VDIA was mooted by former Master General Ordnance (MGO) late Lt General Ravi Thodge.
YIL has renamed the earlier Ordnance Factory Institute of Learning (OFIL) as Yantra Institute of Technology and Management, whose infrastructure would be used for the training programme.
YIL CMD Rajeev Puri told TOI that these would not be defence related course alone. Rather a slew of training programmes would be organized on the basis of modules designed with the help of industries. This would help in churning out workforce trained as per the industry requirements. For Agniveers, their feedback after using the equipment during their tenure in armed forces would provide a basis for designing the modules, he said.
VIDA convenor Dushyant Deshpande said aerospace sector would be one of the key areas. The courses have been designed looking into needs of the aerospace establishments like aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) units in Nagpur and elsewhere. Moreover, YIL also has the requisite expertise owing to certain products it has been making.
Deshpande said the aim is to train 40,000 persons in coming five years. On Monday, they started with first 25 trainees taken from defence PSUs.
Earlier, VIDA had plans to set up a centre of excellence on similar lines in Mihan area. The state government had earmarked Rs93 crore from the project, which could not be disbursed during Covid. The state government has been requested to release the funds now, said Deshpande.
Now, instead of Mihan, the centre would come up in the premises of YIL. It was decided to utilize the infrastructure at its disposal rather than having a new set up altogether, said Deshpande.