In a landmark event at Vigyan Bhawan, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi felicitated 46 All India toppers from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) at the 4th Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh. The Prime Minister also launched PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs), a ₹60,000 crore scheme aimed at modernizing 1,000 government ITIs across India, and virtually inaugurated 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs in 400 Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
PM-SETU will operate on a hub-and-spoke model, with 200 hub ITIs linked to 800 spokes, offering industry-aligned courses, innovation centres, training of trainers, and placement support. Fifteen clusters have been identified nationwide, including Guwahati, which will serve as a centre of excellence, providing modern infrastructure and industry-led training to create a replicable model for skill development.
The initiative is expected to boost local economies, including Guwahati by supplying a skilled workforce ready to meet regional industrial demands. Businesses in Guwahati’s manufacturing, logistics, and IT sectors are likely to benefit from trained youth, while students gain early exposure to employable skills, bridging gaps between education and industry needs. Prime Minister Modi spoke about the importance of ITIs and said that it serves as “workshops of an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” while Skill Development Minister Shri Jayant Chaudhary underlined the government’s focus on making youth self-reliant and globally competitive.
