Punjab CM holds talks with IIT Ropar, IIM Amritsar over skill development

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 21 (ANI): In two separate video conference meetings, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday held talks with directors of IIT Ropar and IIM Amritsar on greater cooperation in skill development.
During the conference with IIT Ropar, the state government signed three MoUs with the institute in the areas of skill development.
"The MoUs provide for IIT's Technical Education Department to become an academic mentor for the state's engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, as well as for Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Shri Chamkaur Sahib, five government polytechnics and 10 government ITIs. Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said IIT will also help the state in developing one model ITI and one model polytechnic and the others would be modelled on similar lines subsequently," read a press release.
IIT Director Prof SK Das's suggested that the state should take the initiative for setting up a Defence manufacturing corridor, with IIT's support in AI and strategic designing of defence equipment.
"The Chief Minister urged IIT to help the state in the manufacture of small devices for controlling water wastage in irrigation, in response to which Prof Das extended the institution's full support," the release added.
Captain Amarinder directed Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to resolve the IIT's land acquisition-related issues, while urging the IIT to develop its campus as a green campus, with extensive landscaping and afforestation.
"He also directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee to look into the IIT Director's submission that Private Universities/ Colleges in the state are increasing seats for Engineering courses without any checks and balances," the release read further.
IIM Amritsar also extended support to the state government in promoting skill development and its director, Prof. Ramamoorthy Nagarajan, said the institution would be organising various short-term courses for officers, including Excise, Business Management, Taxation, etc. The IIM has adopted five villages in Amritsar area as part of its CSR outreach, the Chief Minister was informed. (ANI)