- Dy CM Announces Proposal for WSC Expansion and Increased Student Sponsorships
Bhubaneswar, Oct 2026 : In a major boost to Odisha's green workforce and clean energy transition, World Skill Center (WSC)—a Section 8 company under the Odisha Skill Development Authority (OSDA), Government of Odisha—is establishing a dedicated Green Energy (Solar) Centre of Excellence (CoE) at its Mancheswar campus in Bhubaneswar. Fully sponsored under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC), the initiative represents a total investment of Rs. 1,48,75,009 spanning FY 2026–27 and FY 2027–28. The facility was formally announced in the presence of the Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister, Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment, Energy Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and the Hon'ble Minister for Industry, Skill Development & Technical Education, Shri Sampad Chandra Swain marking a key milestone in aligning state capabilities with national climate goals.
The state-of-the-art Bhubaneswar facility, spanning roughly 3,000 square feet at Kaushal Bhawan, will feature hands-on demonstration units including rooftop solar, floating solar, and solar-tracker systems. Leveraging WSC’s existing strengths in industrial automation, electrical systems, advanced manufacturing, and digital technologies, the CoE will integrate advanced domains such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), SCADA, Industrial IoT, remote monitoring, digital twins, predictive maintenance, and Energy Management Systems (EMS). This practical, field-level exposure bridges the crucial gap between certification and industry readiness, tackling the skill constraints identified in recent sector reports.
In a significant announcement during the event, the Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister Shri Singh Deo revealed major expansion plans for the World Skill Center. To widen access to world-class technical education, WSC is increasing its annual fully sponsored student count from 60 to 100 candidates starting this year. Furthermore, a proposal has been given to decentralize advanced skilling across the state, new World Skill Center branches to established in Berhampur and Sambalpur.
Highlighting the state's vision for youth empowerment, the Hon'ble Minister for Industry, Skill Development & Technical Education stated, This Centre of Excellence marks a transformative step in equipping our youth with future-ready skills in solar and green energy, ensuring Odisha leads the way in clean energy innovation and sustainable employment.
Designed to train approximately 300 youth per year, the Centre will deliver specialized, job-ready programs for high-demand roles including Solar PV Technicians, Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Technicians, Site Supervisors, and Energy Auditors. The program is open to youth across all districts of Odisha, with targeted outreach for OHPC's operational areas, and actively promotes gender inclusion under SDG 5 to increase female participation in clean energy while fostering local entrepreneurship.
ACS, Energy Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, SDTE, Shri Bhupendra Singh Poonia, COO, WSC Shri Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Director, OHPC (HR) Shri Sandeep Pattnaik and other Senior officers were present in the MoU signing ceremony.
