Date:17/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/17/stories/2007081752260300.htm

Tamil Nadu

Apparel training centre coming up in Krishnagiri

S. Prasad

Preference for Plus-Two youth in naxal-affected areas

Krishnagiri: A state-of-the-art Apparel Training and Design Centre will soon come up in Krishnagiri district to equip the youth in vocational skills.

The district administration in association with the department of handlooms is all set to establish the training centre at Rs. 48.76 lakh.

While the State Government will provide machinery at Rs. 20 lakh, the Apparel Export and Promotion Council will provide the recurring cost.

Preference will be given to Plus-Two youth in naxal-affected areas in the district.

Collector Santhosh Babu told The Hindu that the district administration had identified sites at the Regional Institute of Rural Development in Krishnagiri taluk and Myrada training centre at Thally for the proposed training centre.

Funds would be allotted to create the required infrastructure at the centre. To start with, 60 youth and women self-help groups from the naxal-affected villages would be trained in the first batch.

About 600 youth would be trained at the centre every year. The district administration would provide stipend to the trainees.

The centre was expected to be operational from this October. Initially the trainees would be trained in multi sewing machine operator course for two months.

The training for the first few batches would be conducted for youth from naxal-affected villages. The selection would be done vide a personal interview by the Council.

The selected youth would be absorbed in garment units in Tirupur, Coimbatore and Bangalore on completion of training.

Efforts were on to establish an apparel park in the district.

With Hosur devoid of garment units the training institute would create a strong supply base for major garment manufacturers in Tirupur and Bangalore, sources said.