Bhubaneswar: A skill development training programme aimed at making unemployed youth from remote and forest-dwelling families in Odisha self-reliant and employable has shown early success in Balangir district.
The initiative is being jointly implemented by the Skill Development and Technical Education Department and the Forest Department (Kendu Leaf Division). Under the programme, 28 youths from the Bandhpadha Forest Division in Balangir have completed their training successfully and have been provided with employment opportunities.
Of them, 19 youths have received appointment letters for electrician posts at the reputed TVS Motors company located in Hosur, Karnataka. The remaining nine have been offered job opportunities with various private organisations in their local areas.
After completing a two-month training course in the Assistant Electrician trade, the trainees were handed over their appointment letters by the Divisional Forest Officer of Balangir.
Families of the selected candidates expressed happiness over the achievement and thanked the government for the initiative.
In the first phase, youths from the kendu leaf worker families were also included among the 28 trainees.
A dedicated training centre was established at Bhutiarbahal in Balangir district on January 12, 2026, to provide skill training to rural youth from forest-dependent areas.
The objective of the initiative is to develop skilled manpower in line with current industry demand. For this, Odisha Skill Development Authority engaged the All India Society for Electronics and Computer Technology as the implementing agency.
The training in the Assistant Electrician trade began on January 28, 2026. After completion of the first batch on March 24, appointment letters were distributed to the trainees.
The programme is being closely monitored by the District Skill Development and Employment Officer, Balangir, and the local Divisional Forest Officer (Kendu Leaf). The initiative is being accelerated to improve the social and economic condition of unemployed rural and forest-area youth through skill development and technical education.
