CHANDIGARH, June 16 -- The Haryana government has been mulling a proposal to introduce sugar mill-related courses in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state with the objective of creating a skilled workforce tailored to the needs of the sugar industry, officials said. The proposal to introduce the courses in question has picked up momentum after a review meeting regarding functioning of cooperative sugar mills held on June 2. In that meeting chief minister Nayab Singh Saini was informed that cooperative sugar mills are facing a shortage of skilled manpower, as specialised courses related to several technical functions are available only in Pune and Kanpur. Saini had directed officials to explore relevant courses that can be introduced in ITIs to create a pool of skilled youth for the sugar industry. On Monday, chief secretary Anurag Rastogi chaired a meeting to review and discuss the introduction of sugar mill-related courses in the ITIs of the state. Detailed discussions were held on various technical, vocational and diploma-level courses that can be offered through ITIs and other training institutions to equip youth with industry-relevant skills and enhance employment opportunities in the sugar sector, the state government said in a statement. The skill development and industrial training department currently offers 89 different trades for students after Class 8 and Class 10, while 169 courses are being offered through Directorate General of Training (DGT)-affiliated institutions.htc...