Bhubaneswar, Feb. 1: The Centre has expressed displeasure over the delayed progress in implementation of vocational and skill training of youths in the state.

In a letter to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Union minister of labour and employment Mallikarjun Kharge stated that the performance level of the state is “not encouraging”. The state government had submitted an action plan for skill training of 72,460 youths and requested for financial assistance of Rs 26.54 crore. Subsequently, the Centre had released a first instalment amount of Rs 16.84 crore.

However, only 2.84 per cent of the target youths, numbering 2,061, have been trained so far and only 141 vocational training providers have been registered.

“The current performance of your state is not encouraging,” Kharge said in the letter.

The Centre had fixed a target of training nine lakh youths for which an outlay of Rs 700 crore has been made available in the current fiscal.

The Union minister has requested Naveen to review the scheme and ask the officers concerned to empanel more number of credible vocational training providers to achieve the target fixed by the state.

He suggested that the government-run industrial training institutes (ITIs) may be considered vocational training providers and that there was no constraint of funds.

He had also asked Naveen to ensure that the available funds are utilised and utilisation certificates are sent immediately so that the second instalment amount could be released.

The cost of training under the scheme is entirely borne by the Centre and the National Council of Vocational Training can also test candidates trained under the scheme.

The government has decided to double the seats for ITIs in the state. “We are doing our best to provide training to as many youths as possible. The department is working to increase the number of seats from 7,948 to 15,780,” said director of Employment Mission, Hemant Sharma.