Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said here on Sunday that a “world class skill development centre” will be set up in the city. However, he did not set any deadline for realising it.
Addressing presspersons on the sidelines of a function organised to inaugurate a polypropylene unit of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd., the Minister said that the objective of setting up the centre would be to produce skilled workers required in the hydrocarbon sector (relating to petroleum) and related sectors in shipping, fisheries, coal and steel industries.
He said that there was a requirement of 136 skills in the hydrocarbon sector from oil exploration to delivery point.
The centre would be set up based on the parameters of Skill Development Ministry and the refinery would be its anchor. It would co-ordinate with other departments in realising the proposal. A consultant would be appointed to study the areas for offering training and submit a report.
To a question he said that the Centre would come up in association with the State government and he was committed to his assurance. The Minister said that the city has the presence of hydrocarbon-based industries and other infrastructure facilities like ports, airport, rail connectivity and highways to support the industries. Hence the skill development centre would meet the requirement of industries and provide employment to skilled workers.
To a question on opposition in Kerala to the laying of a liquefied natural gas pipeline from Kochi to Mangaluru he said that the union had taken it up with the Kerala government. If it is not been able to realise it, the alternative would be to bring a spur line from the Gokak-Bidadi gas pipeline to Mangaluru.
When told that a memorandum of understanding was signed among various public sector undertakings and the New Mangalore Port to set up an LNG terminal a few years ago, he said he does not know about the memorandum.
