Mumbai: The Central Government has approved five Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) worth ₹1,194.92 crore to upgrade Industrial Training Institute (ITI) clusters in Maharashtra, Odisha, and Jammu & Kashmir under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs’ (PM-SETU) scheme.
The decision was finalised at the sixth meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC), led by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). During the meeting, members assessed the scheme’s implementation and explored ways to upgrade ITI facilities, enhance training standards and deepen collaboration with industry.
Following the latest clearances, the overall investment approved under PM-SETU has risen to ₹3,687 crore.
The meeting brought together senior MSDE representatives, including Additional Secretary Niranjan Kumar Sudhanshu and Joint Secretary Manasi Sahay Thakur, along with officials from the Directorate General of Training, state and Union Territory administrations, industry partners and multilateral development banks.
Five ITI Clusters to Get Rs 1,194.92 Crore for Upgradation
The approved plans aim to modernise infrastructure, introduce industry-aligned courses, strengthen trainer capabilities and improve employment opportunities for young people across the five ITI clusters.
The approved clusters are as follows:
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra: ₹238.01 crore in partnership with Belrise Industries Limited.
- Pune, Maharashtra: ₹241 crore through BVG India Limited, in consortium with BVG Foundation.
- Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir: ₹240 crore in partnership with Eagle Infra India Limited.
- Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir: ₹235.41 crore in partnership with Inderdeep Infra India Limited.
- Kataka, Odisha: ₹240.50 crore in partnership with Tata Steel Foundation.
Each cluster will operate a hub-and-spoke model, with a designated government ITI serving as the hub and four other institutions acting as spokes. These projects will be implemented through the collaborative efforts of state governments, industry partners and the participating ITIs.
The committee also reviewed the progress made under Component II of PM-SETU, which focuses on Training of Trainers (ToT). According to the ministry, 3,744 trainers have been trained through the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) by October 2026, thereby strengthening efforts to strengthen instructors’ technical and teaching capabilities.
Mukherjee emphasized the importance of strengthening training standards and increasing engagement with the industry. She also called on the clusters to pursue ISO certification and incorporate at least one WorldSkills-aligned trade or competency area into their approved implementation plans.
(PIB)
