Bhubaneswar, Jun 8 (IANS): The Odisha government on Sunday proposed that the sub-group of NITI Ayog be given sufficient flexibility to states to modify the guidelines of central skill development schemes to suit local needs.

Odisha Employment and Technical Education and Training (ET&T) Minister Sanjay Dasburma proposed the idea at a meeting at Raipur in Chhattisgarh of the sub-group of chief ministers constituted by NITI Ayog for preparing a roadmap of skill development programme for youths

He said the central government should promote national and state-level skill universities to work in close co-ordination with industries, training and academic institutions and government agencies, and uniform procedures should be formulated for implementing skill development programmes by different implementing ministries and departments.

"This may include the need for a common platform for mobilisation and counselling of youth for skill development, pool of trainers, industry tie-up for placements and captive training," he said.

He also proposed that the union government may empanel international partners for setting up of Multi Skills Development Centres (MSDC) with the assistance of states.

Highlighting the initiatives taken by the Odisha government on skill development, Dasburma said, the state government had launched 'Chief Minister Employment Generation Scheme' with a vision to provide skill development to 11 lakh youth including 9.3 lakh youth in rural areas.

It also decided to set up eight advance skill training institutes (ASTIs) in a hub-and-spoke model to cover 30 ITIs with an investment of Rs.1,015 crore, he said, adding that the state had also spent Rs.57 crore to establish six Institutes for Training of Trainers (IToT).