Bhubaneswar, Dec. 19: The department of technical education will set up five ITIs and 10 skill development centres in Maoist-hit areas of the state.

These institutes and centres are being planned in Gajapati, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Rayagada and Malkangiri districts. The project is being planned as part of a central government sponsored scheme.

The Odisha Police Housing Welfare Corporation will take up the construction of the institutes. Though the sites have been identified in some places, there are some minor problems with regard to land acquisition in some other areas.

“Land for the ITIs at Mathili in Malkangiri, Rayagada in Gajapati, Gajabahal in Rayagada, Teleibani in Deogarh district and for skill development centres at Chitrakonda and Motto in Malkangiri, Jimidiapeta in Rayagada and Rengali and Sahaspur in Sambalpur are yet to be acquired,” said a senior officer of the technical education department.

The department has asked the district administrations concerned to help the government get possession of the land so that construction can begin at the earliest.