Jharkhand's Leap into a Clean Energy Future

A new skill centre at IIT Dhanbad aims to train 10,000 people by 2030, focusing on clean energy livelihoods. Inaugurated by Jharkhand Governor, the centre offers training in industry-relevant skills like solar PV installation. Currently, it supports communities from coal mining areas, such as Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.

The Governor of Jharkhand, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, has inaugurated a promising skill centre at IIT (ISM), Dhanbad. The facility aspires to empower 10,000 individuals by 2030, particularly focusing on clean energy livelihoods. This initiative builds upon the successful completion of its inaugural training cohort, which saw over 350 women from coal mining communities gain new skills, according to an official statement.

Governor Gangwar remarked that the establishment of this centre of excellence marks a crucial forward step in ensuring a secure future for the state. 'As the global energy landscape evolves, it is essential that coal-dependent regions receive support during this transition,' he stated. The plan is to now expand the training effort to reach over 500 individuals from coal-reliant regions across Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.

Implemented by decarbonisation solutions company ReNew, the programme offers a fully sponsored, two-month training that imparts industry-relevant skills such as solar PV installation, project management, and maintenance operations. IIT (ISM) Director Sukumar Mishra emphasized that the centre demonstrates the effective power of academia-industry collaboration in facilitating meaningful livelihood transitions.