Bhubaneswar, May 7: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced the enhancement of cash incentives for the winners of World Skills Competition to be held in Sanghai in China during October this year.
“From this edition onwards, the gold medal winner in the World Skill competitions will get an award of Rs 1 crore, silver medallist will get Rs 50 lakh and the bronze medallist will get Rs 25 lakh,” said Patnaik while felicitating the winners of India Skills Competition here at the Lok Seba Bhawan.
He also said that the institution which nurtures the gold medal winner will get Rs 5 crore for setting up the Biju Patnaik Centre of Excellence.
Odisha students have got as many as 59 medals at India Skills Competition 2021 which was held in New Delhi in January 2022.
Setting the goal more challenging, he set the target of 2-3-4 for the participants at WSC in Sanghai. He said, “We have kept the goal of 2-3-4, bringing 2 Golds, 3 Silvers and 4 Bronzes for the country from the youth of Odisha.”
Wishing the competitors at the World Skills Competition, he said, “From now onwards, may all of you have ‘Shanghai on my mind, India in my heart’, as you work towards making this dream a reality.”
Congratulating the competitors, the Chief Minister said that Odisha stood first in the India Skills competition held in January 2022 with 59 medals in total.
Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Premananda Nayak described the winners as Skill Stars of Odisha.
Odisha Skills Development Authority Chairman Subrato Bagchi said that the winners of India Skills come from the bottom most strata of society which reflects the aspirational outlook of the entire State. He said what the Chief Minister has done for Hockey, the same will be achieved in Skills too.
Skill Development and Technical Education Department Principal Secretary Hemant Sharma, OSDA CEO G. Reghu also spoke.
The Chief Minister also felicitated Santosh Ojha, a gold medallist in cabinet making, Sona Behera, gold winner in Painting, Swati Kumari and Nausin Nigar gold medallists in Robotic system Integration. They received certificates and cash awards.
Santosh, G. Labanya and Naushin shared their experiences of how they were driven to excel in skills. They appreciated the motivation of the Chief Minister who wants the children of Odisha to shine in every field.
A short video on the role of OSDA and the Skill Ecosystem in Odisha was screened.
