New Delhi: The Ministry of Heavy Industries has trained around 33,000 people through its Smart Advanced Manufacturing and Rapid Transformation Hub (SAMARTH) centres as part of efforts to strengthen skills in advanced manufacturing and promote Industry 4.0.
The ministry has established four SAMARTH centres under the Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector. The centres focus on developing skills and capabilities aligned with advanced manufacturing technologies.
Another key initiative is the Common Engineering Facility Centre (CEFC) at the Welding Research Institute (WRI) of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in Tiruchirappalli, which provides training in advanced welding technologies. More than 8,500 people have been trained at the facility over the past three years.
The ministry has also supported the development of 23 qualification packages each by the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) and Capital Goods Skill Sector Council (CGSSC), along with 12 qualification packages by the Indian Association of Skill Councils (IASC) Sector Skill Council.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is also implementing major skill development programmes, including the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme.
Under PMKVY 4.0, which has been operational since 2022-23, 27,31,699 candidates were trained over the last three years. Meanwhile, 12,53,158 students enrolled in Industrial Training Institutes under the Craftsmen Training Scheme in capital goods and manufacturing-related courses during the same period.
As of June 30, 2026, PMKVY 4.0 had delivered training through 16,946 training centres, including 6,993 educational institutions such as schools, colleges, ITIs, universities, skill universities and polytechnics.
