In an effort to fill vacant posts, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has decided to provide professional training to its grade-4 employees, opening scope for their promotions. “We plan to open four four vocational skill development centres in each zone of the corporation for our own staff,” SDMC chairman Rajesh Gehlot said at the standing committee's meeting on Friday.

Gehlot said that the training centres will be run from four municipal schools, which have some unused space on their premises.

According to a senior official, the corporation has already started the process of getting the training curriculum prepared by the Board of Technical Education, Delhi government.

“We are looking forward to kick off the programme with 100 employees per batch.

We are eyeing for March 31 as the starting date as we want to begin the programme in this financial year itself, ” Gehlot said.  The SDMC has as many as 2,000 vacancies for the posts of welder, mason, plumber and painter.