JAMMU: The Food Craft Institute, Jammu, will soon be upgraded to the Institute of Hotel Management to cater to the requirement of skilled manpower for the industry in the region.
This was informed during the 18th Governing Body meeting of Food Craft Institution, Jammu, held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Secretary, Skill Development Department (SDD), Saurabh Bhagat, here today.
It was revealed in the meeting that the proposal, in this regard, has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Tourism for approval.
The meeting accorded approval to purchase of bus for the institute, installation of rooftop panels and creation of hostel facility within the campus.
The Commissioner Secretary appreciated the efforts of the institute which has tied up with J&K Police for training of their jail inmates and kins of matrys to make them employable. He also lauded FCI for conducting various Skill Development Programmes in the hospitality sector within the campus and other satellite centres creating more entrepreneurs for the industry.
It was decided in the meeting that soon a mega millet festival would be organized to enable students of FCI to showcase their culinary skills wherein industry leaders and professionals shall be invited. Besides, FCI Jammu has already come up with a booklet of millet recipes.
The Commissioner Secretary exhorted upon FCI to explore opportunities to work with industry leaders and tie up for industrial visits, and visits of industry executives and professionals to the institute. This will help the institute to adopt the latest industrial trends in the learning stage of students to equip them with the latest know-how, he added.
He urged upon Rakesh Wazir to arrange a visit of high-profile industry leaders to the institute for long-term tie-ups and interactions with students helping them in placements.
President Hotel & Lodges Association Katra, Rakesh Wazir, apprised the meeting that all major hotel chains have set up their hotels in and around Katra and there is an ever-increasing demand for skilled manpower in the industry. He appreciated the administration for taking up the FCI upgrade proposal which would immensely help the hotel industry get skilled manpower within the region.
The meeting was attended by the Director of Tourism, Jammu, Vivekanand Rai, Director of the Skill Development Department, Sudershan Kumar, Additional Secretary, of Tourism Department, Sachin Dev, Additional Secretary, SDD, Narayan Dutt, General Manager JKTDC, Sham Lal, HoD & Administrative Officer, IHM Srinagar, Nirmata, HoD Food Science, PG Department Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, Anuradha Gandotra, President Hotel & Lodges Association Jammu (Hotel & Catering Technology), Pawan Gupta and Principal of the institute, Jyoti Bhatti in person and virtually.
