Jindal, ArcelorMittal and Apollo MedSkills Anchor ₹1237.58-Crore ITI Modernisation as PM-SETU Expands Nationwide
PM-SETU aims to transform India's Industrial Training Institutes into modern centres of excellence through upgraded infrastructure, industry-driven curricula, advanced technologies and stronger employment linkages.
Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), chairs the 4th National Steering Committee meeting on PM-SETU in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Dilip Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Training (DGT), Manasi Sahay Thakur, Joint Secretary, along with representatives from state governments, industry partners and multilateral organisations, where the nationwide rollout of PM-SETU and Strategic Investment Plans worth ₹1,237.58 crore were approved.
New Delhi: The Union government has significantly expanded its flagship Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) programme, approving the nationwide rollout of the initiative across 200 Industrial Training Institute (ITI) clusters and clearing Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) worth ₹1,237.58 crore for industry-led skill development projects in Odisha, Gujarat and Telangana.
The decisions were taken at the 4th National Steering Committee (NSC) meeting chaired by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). Senior officials, including Dilip Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Training (DGT), Manasi Sahay Thakur, Joint Secretary, representatives from state governments, industry partners and multilateral organisations participated in the meeting.
The approvals mark the transition of PM-SETU from its pilot phase to a full-scale national implementation, enabling states and Union Territories to undertake ITI transformation based on industry readiness and implementation capacity.
Industry Takes Centre Stage
A major highlight of the meeting was the approval of five Strategic Investment Plans led by prominent industry partners, reinforcing the government’s vision of making industry an active stakeholder in vocational education.
The approved anchor partners include:
- Jindal Naveen Avsar Limited in Odisha
- ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India in Gujarat
- Apollo MedSkills Limited in Telangana
- Sri Siddharth Infratech & Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. (SSISPL) in Telangana
- Neuland Foundation in Telangana
Together, these projects account for an investment of ₹1,237.58 crore, aimed at upgrading ITI infrastructure, introducing industry-aligned training, strengthening faculty capacity and improving employment outcomes.
Odisha: Jindal to Lead ₹240.21-Crore Cluster
In Odisha, the approved ITI cluster will be anchored by Government ITI Barbil, supported by:
- Government ITI Anandapur
- Government ITI Koira
- Government ITI Karanjia
- Government ITI Barkote
Jindal Naveen Avsar Limited will invest ₹240.21 crore to modernise the cluster through advanced infrastructure and industry-integrated skill development.
Gujarat: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel to Upgrade Surat Cluster
The Gujarat project centres on Government ITI Surat as the hub, with the following spoke institutes:
- Government ITI Hajira
- Government ITI Bardoli
- Government ITI Sachin
- Government ITI Surat (Mahila)
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India will invest ₹240.18 crore to develop the cluster into a future-ready industrial training ecosystem aligned with the manufacturing sector.
Telangana Gets Three Industry-Led ITI Clusters
Telangana received approval for three separate ITI clusters.
Apollo MedSkills Cluster – ₹241.01 crore
Hub:
- Government ITI Old City
Spokes:
- Government ITI Warangal
- Government ITI Nalgonda Boys
- Government ITI Vikarabad Girls
- Government ITI Panjaguda
The healthcare-focused cluster will be developed by Apollo MedSkills Limited with an investment of ₹241.01 crore.
SSISPL Cluster – ₹275.24 crore
Hub:
- Government ITI Patancheru
Spokes:
- Government ITI Shadnagar
- Government ITI Marpally
- Government ITI Nalgonda (New)
- Government ITI Bhongir
Sri Siddharth Infratech & Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. will invest ₹275.24 crore.
Neuland Foundation Cluster – ₹240.94 crore
Hub:
- Government ITI Sangareddy
Spokes:
- Government ITI Hathnoora
- Government ITI Medak
- Government ITI Dubbaka
- Government ITI Yellareddy
Neuland Foundation will invest ₹240.94 crore in upgrading training infrastructure and industry linkages.
PM-SETU Goes National
The Steering Committee also approved several implementation reforms, including:
- Nationwide rollout across 200 identified ITI clusters
- Simplified implementation mechanisms
- Greater industry participation
- Enhanced involvement of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)
- Expansion of institutional support for implementation
The government said states and Union Territories will now be able to begin implementation based on their preparedness and partnerships with industry.
PM-SETU Expansion: Key Highlights
- ₹1,237.58 crore Strategic Investment Plans approved.
- 200 ITI clusters to be covered under nationwide PM-SETU rollout.
- Five industry partners approved as Anchor Industry Partners.
- Odisha: Jindal Naveen Avsar Ltd. – ₹240.21 crore.
- Gujarat: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India – ₹240.18 crore.
- Telangana: Apollo MedSkills – ₹241.01 crore.
- Telangana: SSISPL – ₹275.24 crore.
- Telangana: Neuland Foundation – ₹240.94 crore.
- Industry-led upgradation of ITIs with modern infrastructure and future-ready curricula.
- Greater participation of industry and PSUs in vocational education.
- Focus on employability, advanced skills and stronger industry-academia collaboration.
PM-SETU aims to transform India’s Industrial Training Institutes into modern centres of excellence through upgraded infrastructure, industry-driven curricula, advanced technologies and stronger employment linkages.
The latest approvals demonstrate a strategic shift in India’s skilling ecosystem—from government-led vocational education to industry-owned workforce development. By placing leading industrial enterprises at the centre of ITI modernisation, PM-SETU seeks to ensure that training infrastructure, curricula and certification evolve in line with emerging industrial requirements.
With investments exceeding ₹1,237 crore in just the latest round, the programme signals the government’s intent to create a scalable, industry-integrated vocational education model capable of supplying skilled manpower for India’s rapidly expanding manufacturing, healthcare and infrastructure sectors.
