Odisha signs eight MoUs with Singapore-based organisations in various sectors

Bhubaneswar, Jan 17 (PTI) The Odisha government on Friday signed eight MoUs with Singapore-based organisations for collaborations in different fields including skill development, green energy and industrial park development.

The MoUs were signed in the presence of Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Maji, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy Chief Ministers – KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida – at World Skill Centre (WSC) here.

The MoU signing ceremony was followed by a bilateral discussion between the Singapore delegation led by President Shanmugaratnam and the Odisha government team headed by Majhi.

“The Singapore President expressed his admiration for Odisha’s efforts in advancing skill development and fostering innovation,” an official statement issued by the CMO said.

“The Odisha government has signed 8 MoUs with different Singapore organisations in different sectors. We had during a visit to Singapore had invited the country’s President and today he came down to see the state’s infrastructure and potential,” Majhi told reporters.

Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja said that discussions were held on key themes such as skill development, industrial parks, master planning, ports, renewable energy, semiconductors, information technology, data centres, culture, and connectivity. The state government in a presentation highlighted Odisha’s initiatives and opportunities for collaboration with Singapore in these crucial sectors.

During the visit, the Singapore President toured the Vertical Transportation Lab and Travelator Lab at the World Skill Center and interacted with students and instructors, showcasing Odisha’s commitment to fostering technical education and innovation.

The first MoU was signed between the Skill Development and Technical Education (SD&TE) department of Odisha government and ITE Education Services (ITEES), Singapore, to extend cooperation in the field of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to further enhance skill development ecosystem in Odisha, officials said.

Both parties have collaborated to support the expansion of WSC, Bhubaneswar through the introduction of new courses in various areas such as hospitality, logistics, digital animation, healthcare assistant training, visual merchandising, AI application, aerospace technology, marine engineering, retail, electronics, semiconductor, renewable energy, etc.

According to officials, the pact was also to support the setting up of the World Center for Information Technology (IT) and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) in the field of cybersecurity, cloud computing, blockchain, internet of things, data science, etc.

Another MoU was signed between the SD&TE department and ITEES to extend cooperation in the field of technical and vocational education and training (TVET). It is expected to provide TVET landscape for the semiconductor industry in Odisha through the introduction of semiconductor-related skilling in Odisha. The above two MoUs will be valid for a period of 5 years, officials said.

The third agreement was signed between Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar, GRIDCO Limited and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore to advance research and development in renewable energy, hydrogen production, energy storage systems and microgrids.

The fourth MoU was signed between Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (IPICOL) and Sembcorp Green Hydrogen India Private Limited (SGHIPL) of Singapore to explore the development of a production facility for green hydrogen and its derivatives, they said.

The fifth pact between Singapore-based Sembcorp Development (SCD) and Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) was signed to undertake a feasibility study for the establishment of an industrial park within the established industrial belts of Odisha.

Similarly, the Electronics & IT department of Odisha signed an MoU with the Singapore-based Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) for setting up an InsureTech Hub Global Capabilities Centre in the state.

Further, IDCO collaborated with Surbana Jurong of Singapore to provide consultancy services to the state of Odisha for strategic positioning and planning for Odisha Petro Chemical and Petroleum Investment Region (PCPIR).

The last MoU was signed between Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Surbana Jurong to get consultancy services for preparing a new city development plan near to state capital Bhubaneswar. The activities will be rolled out over the next 12 months.

The Singapore President is on a two-day visit to Odisha.