Commonwealth Games 2010: 2cr Central Fund for Each State

Working towards Vision-2022 to achieve required manpower of 2 lakh to run the hotel and tourism industry, the Union Ministry of Tourism has instructed all states and union territories to train additional youths in their universities, ITIs and engineering and technology colleges. Meanwhile, the ministry would provide a central funding of Rs 2 crore to each state to meet the target of 45,000 trained human resources in the country before the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Presently, there are just 12,000 trained people in the industry.

Disclosing this information to TOI, CITCO general manager (tourism), AK Malhotra said, ‘The Ministry of Tourism has taken a big leap towards enhancing manpower skill in hospitality sector across the country.’

He continued, ‘Keeping in view the upcoming big event of Commonwealth Games and to bridge the huge shortfall of trained manpower in the industry, the ministry has decided to allot training of streams like food and beverages, food production, catering, front office and house-keeping to additional institutes in the states\union territories like universities, industrial training institutes and engineering\technology colleges. Stress would be given to institutes having required infrastructure in their respective premises.’

Malhotra further revealed that this move termed as ‘multi-root access’ to raise manpower in alternate institutes, affiliated with All India Colleges and Technical Institutes, would offer an excellent opportunity to unskilled youngsters to make a vocation in the sector.

Referring to the present hotel management institutes that churn out more and more professionals in the managerial categories, Malhotra said, ‘As need is to enhance the number in service class categories, the ministry is paying more attention and offering many incentive-based special training programmes to raise staff in this sector,’ stressing, ‘we need to do that on a war-footing as the 2010 Games are fast approaching.’

Elaborating more on this job-oriented training programme, Dr Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management principal Naveen Kumar Nanchahal revealed that the entire programme has been started to lend support to the drop-outs from middle, matric and plus-two classes.

‘Besides providing financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1500 and Rs 2000 to these students, we would also provide them with uniforms and free books. Later, they would be absorbed in jobs with the help of these institutes,’ told Nanchahal.

Stating that the response to the programme at the institute has been tremendous, he informed, ‘We would be starting the first batch of courses in food production and food and beverages on August 17.’

Moving onto the Vision-2022, Nanchahal said majority of jobs are going to be in service sector. ‘Presently, against the yearly target of producing 2 lakh manpower in the industry, we are able to produce only 12,000,’ urging, ‘We will have to produce much more to meet the challenge of upcoming 2010 Commonwealth Games.’

Source: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com