IG Drones Builds Facilities To Train Tribal Youths in Remote Odisha

Odisha MP Sujeet Kumar has partnered with drones solutions provider IG Drones to set up Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to train up local youths in Kalahandi district in line with the Centre’s Viksit Bharat mission.

The facilities, set up under the government’s Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) for tribal youths and women, will help build up the manpower resources for wider use of drone technology in the country.

According to a statement, it will help address unemployment issues in tribal communities of the region by preparing the youths with future-ready skills and promoting STEM education and generate interest of school children in the field of technology.

Sambit Parida, chief technology officer at IG Drone told Inc42 that two centres have been set up in the gram panchayats of Sagada and Bhatangpadar to train the youths to become drone pilots and technicians. “We, as a company, also aim to absorb local talent from these areas for the advancement of such communities,” he said.

“As the drone industry in India continues to expand rapidly, this initiative will address the growing demand for skilled professionals,” said Bodhisattwa Sanghapriya, founder and chief executive of IG Drones. The development aligns with the Centre’s aim of expanding drone operations in the country from 27,000 to over 1 Lakh.

Kumar, who spearheaded the initiative, has allocated INR 10 Lakh from the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for these remote villages which lack access to quality education.

“By equipping tribal youth and women with cutting-edge skills, we are opening up opportunities that were once out of reach and ensuring their participation in India’s digital economy,” Kumar said.

The development comes at a time when the Centre is not just putting impetus on skilling youths in drone technology but other areas as well to make them employable.

In her eighth budget speech, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of five CoEs in the country for skilling the youths across various fields. The Centre will partner with global experts to design a curriculum for trainees and trainers as well. The minister also proposed CoEs for imparting education in artificial intelligence (AI).

Mahindra & Mahindra had last year signed agreement with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) to train 500 women in operating drones for agricultural purposes.