Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur laid the foundation stone of National Skill Training Institute for Women (NSTI).

The Institute has been sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Directorate General of India and is presently functioning in a building adjacent to DIET campus Shamalaghat, in Shimla district.

He said that the state government has provided around seven acres of land free of cost for construction of permanent campus of NSTI for women at Jhundla, near Shimla. A state of art campus would be coming at this piece of land at a cost of Rs. 27.95 crore. This building would be completed within a year. He also assured all possible help from the state government for early completion of the campus.

Jai Ram Thakur said that this campus would house institutional block, residential block equipped with modern hostel facilities for girls, a guest house having provision for further expansion. He said that the building would be eco- friendly having solar panelling and rain water harvesting structures.

He said that this would ensure establishing better industry-institute linkages and organize demand driven short term courses.

The Institute is offering courses in five trades viz fashion designing and technology, cosmetology, desktop publishing operator, architectural assistantship and draftsman civil, with twenty seats each.