Bhuhaneswar, June 6: The Orissa government has plans to set up a training institute with the support of construction major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) to upgrade skill of the youths interested to work in the construction sector.

“Larsen and Toubro has evinced interest in setting up an institute to impart training in construction sector,” said chief secretary Bijay Patnaik.

“The Orissa government is providing infrastructural support for the institute,” he said. The training institute will have sub-centres at Baripada, Koraput and Phulbani.

Official sources said there was a tremendous employment potential in construction sector in Orissa with several industrial and infrastructural projects in the pipeline.

Moreover, the government has roped in Bangalore-based India Skills, Hyderabad-based Dhatri Foundation and AAAIT Solutions at Ahmedabad to impart training to the youth. While the India Skills has started its training programme from April, the Dhatri Foundation commenced its programme from last month. The State Employment Mission will be restructured to make its more effective. Moreover, all employment exchanges across Orissa would be strengthened and computerised to maintain a proper database, said the chief secretary.

A decision was taken at a high-level meeting, chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik today that training would be imparted to 10 lakh educated unemployed youths during three years to enhance their employability.

While five lakh youths will be imparted training through the State Employment Mission and its agencies under placement-linked training programmes during the next three years, an equal number of youths will be trained under centrally-sponsored modular employable scheme.

Major trades identified for job-linked training programmes included retail sales, house keeping, food and beverage, customer relations, front office management, telecom sales, beauty assistants, banking and financial service, desktop computer and photoshop, debt recovery agents and nursing.

Also, five job fairs have been organised at Jharsuguda, Jeypore, Phulbani, Baripada and Koraput and around 20,000 offer letters have been issued to successful candidates, official sources said, adding that the next fairs were proposed to be held at Sundargarh and Bhanjanagar.

Rallies for recruitment into defence and paramilitary forces are also being organised.

During 2010-11, around 2,000 youths were recruited into the defence service and another 3,000 into the paramilitary force.

Driving training will be imparted 10,000 youths, including 2,000 each from the SC and ST communities, said sources.