Bhubaneswar: The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) has recommended the ambitious Rs 1,140-crore Odisha Skill Development Project (OSDP) Phase-II — aimed at training at least 60,000 youths annually in advanced and emerging technologies — for financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), according to a notification on Saturday.The proposal, discussed at the 164th meeting of the DEA screening committee in May, has been approved for submission to the ADB for a Rs 570-crore loan, with the remaining amount to be borne by the state govt. The five-year project is proposed to be implemented from Oct 2026 to Nov 2031 by the skill development and technical education department.Officials of the department said the project seeks to build on the success of the OSDP Phase-I, which culminated in the establishment of the World Skill Centre in Bhubaneswar. Commissioner-cum-secretary of the department told the committee that the first phase had been completed successfully in 2024 and that the second phase would expand the state’s skill ecosystem in line with Viksit Odisha 2036 vision.According to the proposal, the project will create a robust, integrated skill development ecosystem by addressing 21st-century gaps through skilling, reskilling and upskilling programmes. It aims to equip learners with industry-ready skills, provide internationally recognised certifications and improve employability in both domestic and overseas job markets.Unlike conventional vocational programmes, OSDP Phase-II will focus on high-end sectors such as semiconductors, aerospace, digital animation, healthcare, logistics, IT and ITeS, hospitality, marine, agritech, renewable energy, retail and visual merchandising. The courses will be benchmarked against global standards to facilitate international mobility of skilled workers.The project also envisages strengthening the operations of the World Skill Centre, promoting private sector partnerships to modernise Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and establishing new centres of excellence, including World Skill Centre Campus-II, World Centre for Agritech and World Centre for IT/ITeS.During the meeting, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) cautioned that the proposed project should not overlap with the Centre’s PM-SETU scheme and recommended alignment with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), stronger apprenticeship opportunities and greater industry linkages. Poonia assured the committee that PM-Setu and the proposed project would complement each other and that NSQF alignment, internships and workforce upskilling were already being undertaken through the World Skill Centre.Niti Aayog also backed the proposal, advising that external funding should primarily support capital expenditure, with operational costs to be borne by the state’s own resources. The state informed the committee that Cabinet approval had already been obtained and the project cost had been structured accordingly.
