The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Vocational diploma programme for villagers inaugurated

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 29, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Vocational diploma programme for villagers inaugurated

Staff Reporter

Sathyabama Deemed varsity and DAE, Kalpakkam to train youth Other activities include planting of nearly 7 lakh trees in collaboration with the Forest Department and three reverse osmosis plants at Sadras and helping tsunami victims in the area

CHENNAI: Ilakkiya and Saritha, two villagers of Kalpakkam, will soon be taking up course on Hospital Worker Training.

Joining them will be around 117 students from 17 villages in the vicinity who will be going through various diploma programmes.

A year-long vocational diploma that would enable people to work as Electricians Lab Technicians, Hospital Workers and plumbers will be jointly imparted by the Sathyabama Deemed University and the Department of Atomic Energy at Kalpakkam.

Inaugurating the programme, Baldev Raj, Director, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, said while discussing with the Sathyabama Deemed University authorities on how to improve collaboration with the DAE on research, an idea that stood out was the need to provide good education to the village youth of Kalpakkam. Jeppiar, Chancellor of Sathyabama Deemed University was ready to take it up and the local Panchayat Presidents played a positive role. A total of 139 students were selected, he said, adding that the courses would be be continued.

Mr. Jeppiar said his work was to ensure job security, rather than just provide education. He listed the various pension schemes for widows, writers, indigent film artistes and physically challenged persons affected by the tsunami. he said Mr. Jeppiar said a project would be initiated wherein trained carpenters, plumbers, hospital technicians and workers will be posted and given mobile phones in booths in 150 Corporation Divisions. The public can call them up for any specific work and pay them according to the fixed rate cards. "This will help them to earn an income of Rs. 10,000 per month," he said.

Students coming from 17 villages including Sadras, Vasusamudram, Pudupattiman, Vayalur, Venpurusham, Suradimangalam, Kadambadi, Neykuppi and Natham are already assured of their job now, he said.

Prabhat Kumar, Project Director, Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam, Kalpakkam, said the programme was was born of the realisation that progress was possible only if the neighbourhood was included in the activities of the nuclear installation at Kalpakkam.

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