New Delhi: The National Steering Committee (NSC) for the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme has approved five Strategic Investment Plans worth ₹1,194.92 crore to modernise Industrial Training Institute (ITI) clusters across Maharashtra, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir.
The approvals were granted at the committee’s sixth meeting, held on October 16 under the chairpersonship of Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
With these approvals, the cumulative investment sanctioned under PM-SETU has reached ₹3,687 crore, according to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
The projects will be implemented through partnerships involving state governments, industry partners and participating ITIs, with a focus on upgrading infrastructure, introducing industry-aligned training programmes, strengthening instructor capacity and improving employment opportunities for young people.
Five ITI Clusters Receive Investment Approvals
The approved plans cover three clusters in Maharashtra and Odisha collectively, and two in Jammu and Kashmir. Each cluster will operate through a hub-and-spoke model, with a central ITI serving as the hub and other institutes functioning as spokes.
Read Also: NMDC Signs MoU with Chhattisgarh Government Under PM-SETU to Upgrade ITIs in Bastar
The five approved investment plans are:
- Kataka ITI Cluster, Odisha: ₹240.50 crore, in partnership with Tata Steel Foundation.
- Pune ITI Cluster, Maharashtra: ₹241 crore, in partnership with BVG India Limited and BVG Foundation.
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ITI Cluster, Maharashtra: ₹238.01 crore, in partnership with Belrise Industries Limited.
- Jammu ITI Cluster, Jammu and Kashmir: ₹240 crore, in partnership with Eagle Infra India Limited.
- Srinagar ITI Cluster, Jammu and Kashmir: ₹235.41 crore, in partnership with Inderdeep Infra India.
Total approved investment: ₹1,194.92 crore.
The plans are intended to strengthen vocational training facilities and align the courses offered by participating ITIs with evolving industrial requirements.
Odisha’s Kataka ITI Cluster Gets ₹240.50 Crore
The National Steering Committee approved ₹240.50 crore for the Kataka ITI Cluster in Odisha, in partnership with Tata Steel Foundation.
Government ITI Kataka will serve as the hub. The participating spoke institutes are:
- Madhusudan Government ITI, Choudwar
- Government ITI, Paradeep
- Government ITI, Jajpur
- Government ITI, Dhenkanal
The project will focus on infrastructure development, new-age training programmes and stronger industry linkages to address emerging skill requirements in the region.
Maharashtra Gets Two ITI Cluster Projects
Two of the approved projects are located in Maharashtra, with a combined investment of ₹479.01 crore.
Pune ITI Cluster: ₹241 Crore
The Pune ITI Cluster will be upgraded through a partnership involving BVG India Limited and BVG Foundation.
Government ITI Aundh, Pune, will serve as the hub, supported by four spoke institutes:
- Government ITI Aundh (Women)
- Government ITI Pimpri Chinchwad
- Government ITI Khed (Rajgurunagar)
- Government ITI Mulshi
The approved investment plan will support the cluster’s modernisation and efforts to strengthen industry-oriented vocational training.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ITI Cluster: ₹238.01 Crore
Belrise Industries Limited will partner in upgrading the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ITI Cluster under a Strategic Investment Plan worth ₹238.01 crore.
Government ITI Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will function as the hub, with the following institutes serving as spokes:
- Government ITI Paithan
- Government ITI Khultabad
- Government ITI Phulambri
- Government ITI Gangapur
The project is part of the wider effort to modernise ITIs and improve the relevance of vocational education to industry needs.
Jammu and Srinagar ITI Clusters Receive ₹475.41 Crore
The two approved projects in Jammu and Kashmir account for a combined investment of ₹475.41 crore.
Jammu ITI Cluster: ₹240 Crore
The committee approved ₹240 crore for the Jammu ITI Cluster in partnership with Eagle Infra India Limited.
Government ITI Jammu will serve as the hub, with four spoke institutes:
- Government ITI R.S. Pura
- Government ITI Nowshera
- Government ITI Samba
- Government ITI Kathua
Srinagar ITI Cluster: ₹235.41 Crore
The Srinagar ITI Cluster will receive ₹235.41 crore under a partnership with Inderdeep Infra India.
Government ITI Srinagar will serve as the hub, supported by:
- Government ITI Ganderbal
- Government ITI Kangan
- Government ITI Budgam
- Government ITI Charar-i-Sharief
The approvals were highlighted by MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, who said the progress made by Jammu and Kashmir reflected a commitment to strengthening vocational training and expanding opportunities for young people.
PM-SETU Focuses on Modern Training and Industry Partnerships
The approved Strategic Investment Plans will be implemented through collaboration between state governments, industry partners and participating ITIs.
The scheme’s modernisation efforts will focus on several areas:
- Infrastructure: Upgrading training facilities and institutional infrastructure.
- Industry-aligned courses: Introducing programmes suited to emerging technical and industrial requirements.
- Trainer capacity: Strengthening instructors’ technical and teaching skills.
- Industry engagement: Building closer links between training institutes and employers.
- Employability: Improving the relevance of vocational education to employment opportunities.
Mukherjee also encouraged the clusters to work towards ISO certification and include at least one WorldSkills-aligned trade or competency area in their approved implementation plans.
She said the approvals would help strengthen ITIs, improve training quality and increase industry participation in vocational education.
PM-SETU Trains 3,744 Instructors Under Training of Trainers Programme
The committee also reviewed progress under the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme under Component II of PM-SETU.
As of October 2026, 3,744 trainers had been trained through National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).
The programme aims to develop a pool of instructors with contemporary technical knowledge and teaching competencies so that they can deliver training suited to changing workplace requirements.
The latest approvals add to the investment already sanctioned under PM-SETU, taking the cumulative approved amount to ₹3,687 crore. The five newly approved clusters are expected to be developed through partnerships between government institutions and industry organisations, with the stated objective of strengthening vocational training and improving young people’s employment prospects.
Read Also: What Is the PM-SETU Scheme? How Will the PM-SETU Scheme Benefit ITI Students?
