Govt Pumps Rs 1,195 Crore to Upgrade 25 ITIs Across 3 States
The government clears Rs 1,195 crore for upgrading 25 ITIs in Maharashtra, Odisha, and J&K to boost youth employability under the PM-SETU scheme.
In a major push to bridge the gap between vocational training and industry requirements, the government has approved investment plans totaling Rs 1,194.92 crore to upgrade 25 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). This massive overhaul will span across Maharashtra, Odisha, and Jammu & Kashmir, focusing on enhancing youth employability and modernizing skill development.
The decision was finalized during the sixth National Steering Committee meeting of the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme. According to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, this latest injection of funds brings the total cumulative investment cleared under the PM-SETU scheme to Rs 3,687 crore.
Industry Giants Join Hands for Skill Transformation
The government isn't doing this alone. The upgrade is a collaborative effort involving five prominent industry players who will partner with the institutes to ensure that the training provided is relevant to today's job market. The partners include the Tata Steel Foundation and Belrise Industries, among others.
The project is structured around "clusters." Each cluster consists of one central hub ITI and four associated institutes, ensuring a streamlined flow of resources and expertise.
Breaking Down the Investment by Region
The funds have been strategically allocated across five key clusters to maximize regional impact:
- Pune (Maharashtra): Rs 241 crore in partnership with BVG India.
- Kataka (Odisha): Rs 240.50 crore in partnership with Tata Steel Foundation.
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra): Rs 238.01 crore in partnership with Belrise Industries.
- Jammu (J&K): Rs 240 crore in partnership with Eagle Infra India.
- Srinagar (J&K): Rs 235.41 crore in partnership with Inderdeep Infra India.
What Exactly is Being Upgraded?
The goal of these investments is to transform traditional ITIs into modern centers of excellence. The focus areas include:
- Infrastructure Overhaul: Modernizing facilities to provide students with a contemporary learning environment.
- Industry-Aligned Courses: Introducing new curricula that match the actual skill requirements of employers.
- Trainer Capacity: Improving the quality of instruction by enhancing the skills of the trainers.
- Industry Participation: Creating a tighter link between the classroom and the workplace.
Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, highlighted that these approvals are a critical step in the implementation of PM-SETU. She emphasized that these measures would not only strengthen the ITIs but also significantly increase the participation of the industry in shaping the workforce.
Aiming for Global Standards
The government is not just looking at national benchmarks. Secretary Mukherjee has urged the clusters to pursue ISO certification to ensure quality management. Furthermore, she has called for the inclusion of at least one WorldSkills-aligned trade or competency area within their implementation plans to bring Indian vocational training up to international standards.
Empowering the Educators
Beyond the infrastructure, the government is also focusing on the people who teach. The committee reviewed the "Training of Trainers" programme, noting that as of October 2026, 3,744 trainers have already been trained through National Skill Training Institutes, ensuring that the instructors are as up-to-date as the technology they teach.