Pune: State Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil has taken a firm stance against the misuse of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which he claims could be exploited by some individuals to disrupt the operations of the International Skill Development Center in Pune, jointly established by jointly by the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

Speaking at the inauguration of the center at the Government Distance Education Polytechnic on Saturday (August 31), Patil asserted that the government would not allow any unwarranted actions to interfere with the center’s mission to provide skill training and overseas job opportunities for the youth of Maharashtra.

"We come from a legacy of student movements and will not entertain baseless RTI queries on how or why this center was established," Patil remarked, reaffirming the administration's commitment to the center’s success.

Patil highlighted that there is a significant demand for skilled manpower in countries like those in Europe and stressed that the government is committed to facilitating overseas employment opportunities for the youth. The center is designed to act as an 'Employment Exchange' to help state youth secure jobs abroad by providing essential skills training.

School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar outlined ambitious plans to send 400,000 students to Germany for employment in the coming years.

The state government has collaborated with the Baden-Württemberg region in Germany to supply manpower across 31 skills. The initiative aims to train 10,000 youths in the first phase, expand to 100,000 within 18 months, and eventually reach the 400,000 target.

Sandeep Singh Kaura, Chief Executive Officer and Advisor of NSDC, noted that multiple agreements have been signed with international partners, and the center in Pune features specialized labs for Footwear, Beauty and Wellness, and Language Learning, along with a language center affiliated with Cambridge University.