TN aims to become a global skills hub

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu government is planning to set up state-of-the-art hi-tech vocational training institutes across the state in a bid to become a global skills hub. “We are scouting for partners and the institutes will come up in remote corners of the state,” Santhosh Mishra, the Secretary of TN Skill Development Council, told City Express on the sidelines of a meeting with Swedish Ambassador Lars-Olof Lindgren. Mishra said that TN is seeking technological expertise from global majors, including private firms, to set up such institutes across the state. Lindgren said Swedish companies would provide technological expertise if a model for cooperation is worked out and said the venture would help the companies as they are expanding in India. Meanwhile, TN government is also seeking Sweden’s help on developing and building its ports. “There will be a meeting with the representative of Gothenberg Port next week,” said Lindgren. Sweden has also offered to share its water purification technology with TN. Arun Vasu, the honorary consul of Consulate of Sweden, said Swedish companies have approached the TN government but cost of the technology is a hitch.Lindgren said that Sweden hoped to get the deal to supply Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) despite Indian Air Force shortlisting Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale, both double engine aircrafts. “Ours is a single engine aircraft that is light and 10 times cheaper than the two aircrafts. The IAF has to upgrade its old MIGs and there is also a need to buy affordable aircrafts. So we are hopeful that India will come back to us,” he said.TT Ashok, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industries Southern Region and MD of Taylor Rubber, said CII would act as a facilitator for Indian and Swedish agencies to promote investments in India, especially in the South.