Mumbai: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), the leader in the Utility Vehicle segment in India, today announced that it will upgrade two Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) at Ghodegaon and Manikdoh in Maharashtra under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme approved by the Union Government.

An MoU to this effect was signed by Mr. Bhutange, Director Vocational Education & Training, Maharashtra State and Mr. Prince Augustin, Senior Vice President, Human Capital, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. at Mantralaya today. Mr. Dilip Walse Patil, Minister, Energy, Higher and Technical, Medical Education, Government of Maharashtra and Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., were also present at the signing ceremony.

The PPP scheme or Public Private Partnership Scheme has been approved by the Union Government and aims to upgrade 1,396 ITIs and transform them into Centres of Excellence. As part of the MoU, an Institute Development Plan (IDP) will be jointly prepared by the Institute Management Committee (IMC) and Mahindra to ensure upgradation of the institute and required trades in terms of both numbers and quality. As a result of this, both student intake capacity and number of faculty members will increase. Students from these two institutes will also get an opportunity to work with Mahindra after graduation.

'The PPP scheme was initiated to help bridge the gap between demand and supply of trained resources for the auto industry, which is especially prevalent in the Pune region. By providing relevant training to both students and faculty of the ITIs at Ghodegaon and Manikdoh, Mahindra will play a major role in creating required skill sets. The MoU will also result in employment creation as students will be able to effectively leverage their skills in both the auto industry as well as have the opportunity to work at Mahindra’s new Plant at Chakan,' said Mr. Dilip Walse Patil, Minister, Energy, Higher and Technical, Medical Education, Government of Maharashtra at the MoU signing.

'As a socially responsible corporate, we wish to address the resource crunch in the Indian industry by helping to develop skilled manpower. Adopting the two ITIs at Ghodegaon and Manikdoh is the first step and will also provide Mahindra with the opportunity to employ qualified resources. We will ensure continuous training for both students and faculty of the institutes to keep them abreast of latest technology and industry requirements. We will also develop and upgrade the curriculum and design special courses for students to help make them employable,' said Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

Mahindra’s Automotive Sector is the market leader in Utility Vehicles in India and makes a wide range of vehicles including MUVs, LCVs and three wheelers. M&M offers customers over 20 models including new generation utility vehicles like the Scorpio and the Bolero. Over the years, Mahindra has been steadily growing in stature as an international automotive major with a footprint in several countries across the world.

About The Mahindra Group

The US $6 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top tractor brands in the world. Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector has recently won the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. Mahindra is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. It made a milestone entry into the passenger car segment with the Logan.

The Group has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including the financial services, trade and logistics, automotive components, information technology, and infrastructure development.

Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector has recently won the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. The US based Reputation Institute recently ranked Mahindra among the top 10 Indian companies in its ‘Global 200: The World’s Best Corporate Reputations’ list.