Kamal Ghorui
Bhubaneswar: The skill development and technical education department on Thursday announced the launch of the ‘Utkarsh ITI Yojana’, under which five existing government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) would be upgraded to centres of advanced technical and vocational training.The upgraded ITIs, termed Utkarsh ITIs, would be equipped with enhanced physical infrastructure, modern training equipment, smart classrooms, digital learning systems and industry-relevant trades aligned with emerging skill requirements. The initiative would be rolled out from the upcoming academic session.Commissioner-cum-secretary of the department, Bhupendra Singh Poonia, said the scheme aims to ensure equitable access to quality vocational education across regions, strengthen industry alignment, and create a skilled workforce capable of responding to rapid technological changes and evolving labour market demands.The five ITIs selected for upgrade are Govt ITI Ambaguda (Koraput), Govt ITI Rourkela, Govt ITI Rajkanika (Kendrapara), Govt ITI Balangir and Govt ITI Puri. The ITIs at Rourkela, Balangir, Puri and Ambaguda are among the oldest technical training institutions in the state.The state govt earmarked a total outlay of Rs 500 crore for the scheme, which will be implemented over three financial years — 2025-26 to 2027-28.Officials said the upgraded ITIs would introduce new-age, future-ready trades aligned with Industry 4.0, the green economy and the digital workforce. Proposed trades include additive manufacturing technician (3D Printing), advanced CNC machining technician, semiconductor technician and industrial robotics and digital manufacturing, among others.In addition to infrastructure modernisation, the annual intake capacity of the 5 ITIs will be increased.
