ITANAGAR, 18 Dec: Roorkee (Uttarakhand)-based Indian Institute of Technology’s (IIT) hydro & renewable energy department organised a workshop on the Jal Urja Mitra Skill Development Programme (JSDP) at DK Convention Centre here on Monday, in collaboration with the Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Ltd (HPDCAPL).
The JSDP has been launched as part of the skill development initiative of the union new & renewable energy ministry. It seeks to develop 1,600 jal urja mitras in the country by 2025-’26.
The JDSP is designed to develop a skilled and employable workforce (jal urja mitras) catering to the needs of small hydro projects to perform the jobs related to the operation and maintenance of small hydro project systems of all types (run-of-the-river, canal fall-based, and dam toe-based).
IIT Roorke’s hydro & renewable energy department has been mandated to be the nodal agency for implementing the scheme.
In the ‘flagship phase’, five states were selected, and from among the northeastern states, the HPDCAPL was empanelled as the training provider. Subsequently, the HPDCAPL selected Rajiv Gandhi Govt Polytechnic here as the designated training centre.
During the workshop, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Commissioner Saugat Biswas emphasised on “streamlining the programme by concentrating on the placement aspect.”
“Once the training is concluded, jobs should be firstly created with consultation from various central public service undertakings, and candidates for training will be selected through advertisement,” he said.
The commissioner requested the new & renewable energy ministry to “revise the fund provision for tough locations like Arunachal Pradesh.”
MNRE HRD Director Dr Vasanta V Thakur presented the details of the JSDP, and stressed on “creating maximum awareness about the programme.”
HPDCAPL Chairman Toko Onuj in his address highlighted “the need to bridge the gap between the unemployed and the unemployable.”
He informed that the first batch of 30 trainees has completed the training, and that the “HPDCAPL is targetting to upscale the programme by engaging multiple batches concurrently.”
Prof Arun Kumar from IIT Roorkee presented a brief on the JSDP, and later conducted a technical session.
