Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang opened the Centre of Logistics Training for Excellence, or COLTE, in Kushiabill, Dimapur, on September 11. It is the first facility of its kind in the Northeast. Nagaland joins the national network, the first of its kind in our State and in the Northeast, Zeliang said. The center is the third such facility established by the Redington Foundation, following sites in Chennai and Hyderabad.
The project stems from a March 2026 agreement between the Department of Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the Redington Foundation, and the Logistics Sector Skill Council. The state government provided 4,000 square feet of rent-free space. Redington Foundation covers CSR funding, while the Logistics Sector Skill Council delivers the curriculum. The CII Institute of Logistics is also a partner in this joint initiative.
Official records show 71,000 registered unemployed youth in the state. Data indicates 92 percent of these individuals lack vocational or technical training. The program targets 360 to 400 trainees annually, with a goal of 100 percent job placement. Women and girls should make up at least 20 percent of beneficiaries. Classes cover data analytics, warehousing tech, inventory management, and transport operations.
MLA Moatoshi Longkumer confirmed the program will run for at least three years. The facility includes on-site housing to help students from remote regions. During the launch, the Logistics Sector Skill Council signed an agreement with Zipaworld Innovation Private Limited to handle international job placements. Officials view Dimapur as a critical multi-modal hub under the Act East Policy, capable of exporting skilled talent alongside local goods like Naga king chilli, coffee, and bamboo.
Updated at 12th September 2026 at 5:48pm
The training site sits in Sector 3 of the Kushiabill complex, which the state government identifies as the Nagaland Integrated Hub for Skills. Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang confirmed the government intends to replicate this model in other logistics-relevant districts across the state.
Beyond basic training, the facility provides upskilling, reskilling, and specialized industry programs. The curriculum covers a wider scope than initially reported, aiming to produce not just ground-level workers, but planners, supervisors, managers, and logistics entrepreneurs. B Ramaratnam, an independent director at Redington, noted that the training emphasizes automation and end-to-end supply chain management to keep pace with the sector’s evolution.
Official estimates from the state indicate that the actual number of unemployed youth may exceed 100,000, as many people never register with employment exchanges. While the program targets 360 trainees annually, officials are setting their sights on a 75 percent placement floor, with the goal of securing both domestic and international roles.
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