Manipur Infotech eNabled Development (MIND) organised a one day stakeholder consultation programme at Magen Hills, Ukhrul Headquarters. The consultation meeting was organised in association with the Department of Information Technology, Government of Manipur, The World Bank and Cyber Corporation Manipur Limited (CCML).
Around 40 youths from Ukhrul attended the consultation programme. Nambam Deben, Director IT, Government of Manipur also participated in the programme via video conferencing.
The World Bank aided Manipur Infotech eNabled Development (MIND) project aims to promote digital skills and entrepreneurship, increase access to broadband in Project areas, and to enhance and secure the foundations for digital government in Manipur.
After assessing the skill gaps in the state, the MIND project will design and implement industry-responsive skill development programs including upskilling and reskilling. The project aims to provide training to 7500 individuals (youths) in the IT sector such as AI, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Data Science, Cloud Computing etc. This includes women, persons with disabilities, people from hill districts, and individuals from socially vulnerable groups. The Govt of Manipur is under the process of entering into agreement with Nasscom and other industry leading skill development training providers in this endeavor.
To provide ample employment opportunities to this newly skilled workforce, the MIND Project will also support digital entrepreneurs and start-ups to create new engines of economic growth and jobs. The Project will also focus on strengthening local IT companies while facilitating the entry of national companies into Manipur. The Project is also exploring the establishment of Global Capacity Centres (GCCs) in Manipur. GCCs are offshore units set up by multinational companies to handle business operations, technology, and innovation for their global enterprises.
The stakeholders of this Project include the youth across Manipur’s districts, the working class, as well as both established and aspiring entrepreneurs. This Stakeholder Consultation aims to educate and discuss with the stakeholders about the details of the project, its objectives and implementation plan, while also seeking their feedback. The feedback received from the stakeholders during these consultations will be recorded/documented, analysed and may contribute to improving the design of the project.