LAHORE, SEP 18 (DNA) — Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain laid the foundation stone of the project to build 19 centres of excellence in Government College of Technology here at Allama Iqbal Town on Wednesday. Under the project, Centres of Excellence will be established in 16 institutions of TEVTA and 3 institutions of Punjab Vocational and Training Council.
With the support of Asian Development Bank, 19 centres of excellence will be built and the project will cost Rs. 5 billion. Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said that the plan to establish centres of excellence in Punjab is a milestone in the preparation of skilled manpower. Completion of the project will increase the efficiency and professional technical skills of these institutions. CBTA based courses will be conducted on modern lines in all these centres of excellence.
Chaudhry Shafay Hussain apprised that under this project, access to technical and vocational education will be easy. The youth will get decent employment opportunities. 8 different priority economic sectors have been selected under this project which include information communication, technology, health, hospitality, construction, textiles, garments, light engineering, agriculture farm machinery, surgical instruments, automobiles, auto-bike assembling and food processing sectors as well.
The Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce said that a revolutionary project has been started to create centres of excellence for the promotion of skill development. Garment City is being built in Quaid-e-Azam Business Park Sheikhupura on an area of 630 acres. China’s textile industry will move to Garment City and new factories will also be built over there. Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said that Chinese companies will set up factories for manufacturing solar panels and electric vehicles in Punjab this year.
He underscored that if all institutions work hard and diligently, there will be no need to borrow from the IMF. For the first time, solar studies have been initiated in TEVTA’s facilities and the project to upgrade TEVTA’s facilities has been initiated. Chairperson Chief Minister Task Force on Technical Education Adnan Afzal Chattha said that a major skill development project has been started with the support of Asian Development Bank.
37,000 children will benefit from this project launched with the support of Asian Development Bank. He said that under the Chief Ministerial Development Program, IT short courses are being provided free of cost to the youth. Provincial Secretary for Industries and Commerce Ehsan Bhutta said that 64% youth population is not a burden but the future of the country.
The destiny of the country can be changed by making the youth skilled. He said that girls have been given free pick and drop facility in Garment City and they are also being given a stipend of Rs. 20,000 per month. He further informed that Centers of Excellence in Sialkot and Mian Channu will be completed by December. Project Director Zohaib highlighted the salient features of the project. —DNA
 — Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain laid the foundation stone){kind=link}