ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has become the first industry partner to secure approval for a Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) under the Government of India’s ₹60,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, marking a major milestone in the country’s vocational education reform programme. The National Steering Committee (NSC), during its third meeting at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi, approved the SIP for the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster in Andhra Pradesh. The approval makes Andhra Pradesh the first state to operationalise an industry partnership under PM-SETU and onboard an Anchor Industry Partner under the scheme’s industry-led Hub-and-Spoke model.
The meeting, chaired by MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, was attended by senior officials from the Directorate General of Training, Capacity Building Commission, NCVET, various central ministries, participating states, industry leaders including HAL, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, ITC Limited and AM/NS India, as well as development partners such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
The approval is expected to accelerate the transformation of government Industrial Training Institutes into industry-managed, outcome-oriented institutions aligned with evolving workforce demands. Officials said the Visakhapatnam cluster could serve as a template for other states looking to strengthen industry participation in skill development.
In Guwahati, the progress of PM-SETU is being viewed positively by industry stakeholders and training institutions. With Assam focusing on industrial growth, logistics, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, stronger industry-led skilling models could help bridge workforce gaps, improve employability and create a larger pool of job-ready talent for businesses across the Northeast. PM-SETU aims to modernise 1,000 government ITIs, establish National Centres of Excellence in high-growth sectors and strengthen employability through deeper government-industry collaboration. With 32 states and Union Territories having formed State Steering Committees and several moving ahead with industry partner selection, the scheme is entering a full-scale implementation phase aimed at building a future-ready workforce for Viksit Bharat 2047.
