GE collaborates with MSDE for Skill India Mission
Published: Jun 14, 2017
NEW DELHI, JUNE 14, 2017: GENERAL Electric (GE) in partnership with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is planning to source workers and skilled technicians from Bihar itself, in line with its Greenfield manufacturing base being set up in Marhaura (Bihar), service facilities in Roza (UP) and Gandhidham (Gujarat). This project was launched as a part of Prime Minister 's ‘Make in India' scheme in which GE agreed to invest close to USD 200 million and will certainly boost employment opportunities for the local people. Under this project, GE even plans to set up state of the art Skilling Centres with support from the Ministry.
GE Power India, part of the General Electric Company was the first corporate donor to contribute to the National Skill Development Fund, a special fund setup under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. GE Power has allocated INR 50 lacs in CSR contributions towards this effort covering the current financial year.
As part of the project, the production of first railway coaches will start from mid-next year from Saran. GE, in collaboration with India Railways, is nearing completion of a Diesel Locomotive Manufacturing Plant in Marhaura, Saran district in Bihar. A new transmission line to Marhaura is being created to provide electricity to this factory. GE is also coming up with a state of the art maintenance shed for diesel locomotives in railway's land in Roza near Shahjahanpur.
To discuss the progress of the project, a delegation of GE led by its Vice chairman John G. Rice called on Mr Rajiv Pratap Rudy. During the meeting Mr Rudy expressed his desire that GE should conduct skill mapping of the surrounding areas in consequent wake of the requirement of skilled workforce in setting of the plant. He stated that the nearing ITIs can be leveraged to offer skilled resources. GE can also set up and additional infrastructure for training. The Minister further suggested to the GE delegation that old colonial infrastructure can be revamped to set up health care centres which GE can run under its CSR initiatives.
Mr Rudy flagged the issue of alarming levels of arsenic in the ground water of Bihar which he has been combating through his own personal funds and MPLAD budget allocations. He suggested the amble scope of development work on the said issue.
GE delegation updated the minister that they are working on extending support for ancillary industries in that region. Mr Rudy was informed that GE Healthcare, an arm of General Electric is working in line with the Skill India Mission and aim at creating 1, 00,000 strong skilled healthcare workforce in India by partnering with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and has now set up skilling centres in 15 cities where they are training individuals to be lab technicians, X-Ray machine operators and Radiology equipment operators.
