LAHORE, April 19: The Azad Kashmir government has offered land to the Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC) for setting up skill development centres (SDCs) to train young people in the trades of furniture making, construction and tourism and hospitality.

According to a spokesman for the TUSDEC, the AJK government has offered eight kanals for SDCs for construction skills at Muzaffarabad. It has also offered another eight kanals at Bagh where TUSDEC plans to set up SDCs for construction and hospitality trades.

While for furniture-making SDC at Muzaffarabad, it has asked TUSDEC to approach the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation for acquiring land lying unutilised with the corporation.

Similarly, the NWFP government has offered 17 kanals for the construction of skill development centres in Batagram district and 16 kanals at Mansehra for construction and hospitality trades.

TUSDEC general manager for skill development Col Syed Anwar Ali Pervaiz will be visiting these areas on April 24-25 to conduct a survey of the land offered by the AJK government.

The AJK government will be represented by the technical education director during these surveys. While the land offered by the NWFP government will be taken over by TUSDEC during his visit on April 21 and 22 along with a representative of the NWFP technical education director.

TUSDEC has set up a special task force which after visiting major affected areas of Azad Kashmir and the NWFP highlighted the need for setting up of skill development centres in various trades.

The project is funded by the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation, which has approved Rs200 million for eight centres at four locations in the NWFP and AJK. —Staff Reporter