India to set up two vocational training centres in east

The Indian Government will set up two vocational training centres in the Batticaloa District of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province for the benefit of the youth in the area.

The High Commissioner of India Ashok K. Kantha and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Dullas Alahapperuma yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up the two facilities, a press release from the High Commission said.

According to the release, the project for setting up of the facilities will be undertaken at District Vocational Training Centre, Vantharamoolai and Rural Vocational Training Centre, Onthachchimadam in Batticaloa District. The project will be implemented by Government of India through HMT (I) Ltd.

Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner said that India and Sri Lanka share a special and close partnership and noted that education was a key dimension of the partnership with great prospects for future development.

The project includes supply of equipment, upgradation of four existing vocational training programmes, introducing three new vocational training programmes at Vantharamoolai and supply of equipment and introduction of three vocational courses at Onthachchimadam.

As part of the project, the Sri Lanka Vocational Training Authority personnel will be trained in India and instructors from India would provide on-job training to master instructors at the Centre.

The project will be implemented under a grant from Government of India at a total cost of Sri Lankan Rs. 327 million.

Kantha recalled the Indian assistance for setting up of additional facilities at Vocational Training Centre in Nagawillua in Puttalam District which was completed last year at a total cost of Sri Lankan Rs. 64.19 million.