Smart City, Govt plan skill academy

The Kerala Government and Smart City Kochi, an IT joint venture between it and Smart City Dubai, have agreed in principle to start a skill development academy to help professionals in various fields improve their skills even as the company informed that the Rs 5,000-crore Smart City IT park in Kochi would be implemented as per schedule.
Labour Minister Shibu Baby John told newsmen after a meeting with Baju George, managing director of Smart City Kochi on Monday, that the skill academy was being planned to fill the gap between corporate needs and standard of job-seekers. The Government had already sanctioned Rs 10 crore for this, Minister said.
He said search was on for an international partner to help in the development of the academy and that an apex body – Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence – had already been formed for setting it up. “The Cabinet and the Smart City Dubai board have to give the nod now,” the Minister said.
Baju George said that the proposed mega IT project, Smart City Kochi, would be ready in about five-and-a-half years. The first phase of the building would be ready in 20 months and the construction would start soon, he said
The Smart City Kochi Pavilion, being set up presently, would project future Smart City concepts, George said. The Pavilion, with 6,000 square feet area, would house the management office of Smart City Kochi, he said, adding that the Pavilion was to be completed in 16 weeks as per the original schedule but a minor delay had occurred.