MANSEHRA, Sept 7: The Ministry of Industry and Production will impart training to over 4,000 students from earthquake-affected areas of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir and establish three skill development centres at an estimated cost of Rs150 million, it is learnt.

The training would be imparted through the Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (Tusdec), officials told Dawn on Thursday.

Diplomas in construction, tourism and hospitality were awarded at a ceremony here to 300 students of Battagram’s skill development centre on Thursday.

Addressing the ceremony, head of Tusdec’s communication department Ijaz Ahmad Minas and project director Zaeem Lutfi said that it was for the first time that students from backward areas like Battagram had received education and training in such disciplines, which would bring prosperity among the quake victims.

They informed that the Battagram Skill Development Centres began functioning in June 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs50 million.

They said three more centres would be established in Mansehra, Muzaffarabad and Bagh at an estimated cost of Rs 150 million.

They said the construction work of the Khaki (Mansehra ) Skill Development Centre was in its last phase and in December classes would start there and every year around 1,140 students would be trained in various

disciplines.