The National Steering Committee (NSC) has approved the Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) for the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster in Andhra Pradesh, submitted by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme. The approval marks the first-ever Strategic Investment Plan to be cleared under PM-SETU and makes Andhra Pradesh the first State to operationalize an industry partnership under the scheme.
The approval was accorded during the 3rd National Steering Committee Meeting convened by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi. The milestone represents the first concrete step towards implementing PM-SETU’s vision of transforming Government ITIs into industry-managed, outcome-oriented institutions through deep partnerships between State Governments and leading industry players.
The meeting was chaired by Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and attended by Shri Dilip Kumar, Director General, Directorate General of Training (DGT), along with members of the National Steering Committee. Senior representatives from the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Ministry of Labour and Employment, participating State Governments, industry leaders including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, ITC Limited and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) India, as well as development partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank participated in the deliberations.
The approval of the Visakhapatnam Cluster represents a significant step towards transforming Industrial Training Institutes into industry-managed, outcome-oriented institutions capable of responding to evolving workforce requirements. The successful approval of the proposal is expected to serve as a model for other States seeking to strengthen industry participation in vocational education and training and accelerate the implementation of PM-SETU interventions across the country.
PM-SETU, a flagship initiative of the Government of India with an outlay of ₹60,000 crore, aims to transform 1,000 Government ITIs through an industry-led Hub-and-Spoke model. The scheme seeks to modernise infrastructure, strengthen industry engagement, improve employability outcomes, and establish National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs) in high-growth sectors, building, through stronger government-industry partnerships — a future-ready workforce equipped for advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.
