A former bureaucrat has stressed on the need for cluster projects to provide skill development and transform institutes imparting training on advanced technology to make industries globally competitive.
Ajay Shankar, former secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, also urged the cluster projects to expand their boundaries and reach international level to bring new projects to their catchment areas for industrial growth of the country.
Shankar was in Nashik on Monday to inaugurate the National Cluster Meet, organised by the Nashik Engineering Cluster (NEC) at its facility in Ambad MIDC area. The cluster projects are formed with financial assistance of the government to provide various advanced technology and equipment to industries through common facility centre (CFC). Shankar said, “The country got success in Information & Technology and IT-enabled services, but we still have scope for technical modernization and this is the area where we have to modernize.”
Karthikeyan, iMove office head in India, who is closely involved with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship(MSDE), said, “Skill development is one area where the country has to focus.” Frank Hoffman, regional director of Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, said, “In India, vocational training is imparted by the government and it is voluntary for the industry. On the contrary, vocational training in Germany is provided by the industry. Hence, the industry must take the initiative in this major task of skill development. The cluster projects are also accountable for skill development.”
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