Patna, Dec. 31: Bihar labour department today signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to upgrade industrial training institutes (ITI) into centres of excellence in specific trades and skills under public-private partnership. Under the proposed scheme, the state government, as the owner of the ITIs, will continue to regulate admissions and fees.

Labour resource minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal after signing the MoA said: “ITIs will be encouraged to start a second shift. Once a tripartite MoA is signed among the three stakeholders, an interest-free loan would be granted up to Rs 2.5 crore to each ITI for upgrading and revision of its courses. An industry partner will be associated with each ITI. The state government will select the industrial partners in consultation with industry associations.

Vyas Ji, principle secretary, department of labour resource, spoke about the Centre’s role. “The Centre will provide an interest-free loan of Rs 2.5 crore and will establish a national steering committee to guide the implementation and monitoring of the scheme. It will also set up a national implementation cell for management, monitoring and evaluation of the scheme,” he said.

He said: “The state government will constitute and reconstitute the institute management committee and register it as a society. It will set up a state steering committee and state implementation cell for supervising and implementing of the scheme at the state level. It will also delegate adequate administrative and financial powers to the committee.”

The MoA is signed between Government of India, state government and industry partner.

“53 government ITIs and 353 private Industrial Training Centres will come under administrative control of Directorate Employment and Training, Bihar. Thirteen ITIs have been covered for upgrading and 11 ITIs are under active consideration,” said Arun Prasad, director of employment and training, Bihar.

The institute management committee will be allowed to determine up to 20 per cent of the admissions from now on.