CHENNAI: The state government has decided to setup Naan Mudhalvan Skill and Placement Centres at government engineering colleges across districts, to further expand the reach of the scheme.

The scheme launched in March 2022 targets to train about 10 lakh youth across the State annually with skills that will help them realise their talents. Under the scheme, the state government had already planned to set up skill centers in 100 government and government-aided Engineering, and Arts and Science colleges in the coming year at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

A senior official from the Information Technology (IT) department told DT Next that Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) has been entrusted to not only set up the centres but also asked to procure requirements for equipment and devices, including computers.

“At present the students are offered the job under the scheme in the sectors such as automotive, IT, manufacturing, logistics, banking, financial services and insurance, aerospace and aviation, construction, electronics and hardware and leather”, he said. The present enhancement of the scheme would include other sectors including furniture and fittings, tourism and hospitality, food processing, agriculture, apparel, home furnishing, beauty and wellness, capital goods, handicrafts and carpets, pharmaceuticals, the official added.

Stating that in the first phase these centres will be established in as many as 28 government engineering colleges, the official said that it would be extended to Arts and Science colleges in the next phase. “The proposed centres would have desktop computers besides 24x7 wi-fi connection”, he added.