Nine government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh will be upgraded under the Centre’s PM-SETU scheme. Agreements have been signed with ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) for projects involving a total approved investment of ₹440 crore.
The agreements were signed by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the governments of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, and AM/NS India. The projects cover five ITIs in Surat and four in Visakhapatnam, aiming to enhance training facilities and align vocational education with industry requirements.
Rs 440 Crore Investment to Upgrade Nine Government ITIs
An investment of ₹240 crore has been approved for the Surat cluster, while the amount for the Visakhapatnam cluster is ₹200 crore. Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) will be set up to handle the upgradation and operations of both these clusters. Under the proposed ownership structure, AM/NS India will hold a 51% stake in each SPV, while the Centre and the respective state governments will hold a 24.5% stake in each.
These projects are part of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs’ (PM-SETU) scheme. The objective of this scheme is to modernize India’s vocational training system through greater industry participation. The first 14 strategic investment plans under this scheme entail a proposed investment of ₹3,446 crore.
Industry Partnership to Boost ITI Training and Employability
AM/NS India, together with its academic and technical partner ‘New Age Makers Institute of Technology’ (NAMTECH), will work on modernizing workshops and laboratories, updating the curriculum, introducing industry-relevant technologies, and enhancing instructor training.
The planned reforms are expected to increase opportunities for practical learning and better prepare trainees for employment. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, stated that these agreements mark the beginning of efforts to develop upgraded ITIs into centres of excellence, with a focus on training quality and outcomes.
(PIB)
