ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India has secured the first-ever Strategic Investment Plan approval under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs scheme, with the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster in Andhra Pradesh becoming the first operational industry partnership under the programme, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said in a statement on 30 May.
The approval was granted by the National Steering Committee during its 3rd meeting convened by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi.
The Strategic Investment Plan was submitted by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India along with its academic partner, New Age Makers Institute of Technology.
With this approval, Andhra Pradesh has become the first State to operationalise an industry partnership under PM-SETU and the first State under the scheme to onboard an Anchor Industry Partner.
The ministry said the approval marks the first concrete step towards implementing PM-SETU’s vision of transforming Government ITIs into industry-managed, outcome-oriented institutions through partnerships between State Governments and leading industry players.
The meeting was chaired by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Dilip Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Training, also attended the meeting along with members of the National Steering Committee.
Senior representatives from the Capacity Building Commission, National Council for Vocational Education and Training, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Ministry of Labour and Employment, participating State Governments and industry representatives also took part in the deliberations.
Industry participants included Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, ITC Limited and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India.
Development partners such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank also participated in the meeting.
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The approval of the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster represents a significant step towards transforming Industrial Training Institutes into institutions capable of responding to evolving workforce requirements.
The ministry said the approved proposal is expected to serve as a model for other States seeking to strengthen industry participation in vocational education and training.
The National Steering Committee also reviewed the overall progress of PM-SETU implementation across participating States.
Discussions focused on policy and implementation measures aimed at strengthening industry participation, improving institutional governance, enhancing the financial sustainability of Special Purpose Vehicles and accelerating the operationalisation of projects under the scheme.
The discussions also covered industry-led governance mechanisms, outcome-based skilling and stronger partnerships between industry, State Governments and training institutions to keep India’s vocational education and training ecosystem responsive to emerging sectoral demands and future workforce requirements.
PM-SETU is a flagship initiative of the Government of India with an outlay of ₹60,000 crore.
The scheme aims to transform 1,000 Government ITIs through an industry-led Hub-and-Spoke model.
It seeks to modernise infrastructure, strengthen industry engagement, improve employability outcomes and establish National Centres of Excellence in high-growth sectors.
The scheme is also aimed at building a future-ready workforce equipped for advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies through stronger government-industry partnerships.
As per the ministry, 32 States and Union Territories have constituted their State Steering Committees, while 12 States and Union Territories have floated Requests for Proposals to invite industry participation for the selection of Anchor Industry Partners.
Several of these Requests for Proposals are approaching closure in the coming weeks.
The ministry said a robust pipeline of State-industry consultations, with multiple rounds already concluded and more scheduled, reflects growing convergence between industry interest and State preparedness.
