New Delhi/Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh has become the first state in the country to operationalise an industry partnership under the Centre’s ₹60,000-crore PM-SETU scheme after the National Steering Committee approved the Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster.
The proposal was submitted by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, making it the first Strategic Investment Plan to receive approval under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) programme.
The approval was granted during the third meeting of the National Steering Committee chaired by Debashree Mukherjee in New Delhi.
Officials said the Visakhapatnam cluster will serve as a model for industry-led transformation of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) through the Hub-and-Spoke model envisioned under PM-SETU. The initiative aims to strengthen industry participation in vocational education, modernise infrastructure and improve employability outcomes.
With the approval, Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state to onboard an Anchor Industry Partner under the scheme, marking a key milestone in its implementation.
The PM-SETU programme aims to transform 1,000 government ITIs across India through industry-led governance, upgraded infrastructure and outcome-based skill training. The scheme also seeks to establish National Centres of Excellence in emerging and high-growth sectors to create a future-ready workforce.
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said several other states are in advanced stages of selecting industry partners, with more Strategic Investment Plans expected to be approved in the coming months.
