PM-SETU Clears ₹1,195 Crore for Five ITI Clusters in Maharashtra, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir
The Centre approved ₹1,194.92 crore to upgrade five clusters of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Maharashtra, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir under the PM-SETU scheme. Total investment cleared under the scheme so far is now ₹3,687 crore.
The approvals came at the sixth meeting of the National Steering Committee of PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs), chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
The five clusters and their amounts: Pune (Maharashtra) ₹241 crore, Kataka (Cuttack, Odisha) ₹240.50 crore, Jammu ₹240 crore, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) ₹238.01 crore and Srinagar ₹235.41 crore.
The industry partners are Tata Steel Foundation, BVG India, Belrise Industries, Eagle Infra India and Inderdeep Infra India. Each cluster has one hub ITI and four spoke ITIs.
The clusters were asked to work towards ISO certification (an international quality standard) and to include at least one WorldSkills-aligned trade or skill in their plans.
Under the scheme's Training of Trainers part, 3,744 trainers had been trained through National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) as of October 2026.
PM-SETU Scheme: Design and Institutional Structure
PM-SETU stands for Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs. It is a Government of India scheme to modernise 1,000 government ITIs with the help of industry, with a total outlay of ₹60,000 crore over five years. Its core idea is that companies which hire skilled workers should help decide what ITIs teach and how they are run. It is run by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
The five new clusters were approved through exactly this route: an industry partner for each cluster, a hub with four spokes, and final approval by the National Steering Committee. With these approvals, total investment cleared under PM-SETU has reached ₹3,687 crore.
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS)
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) train young people in practical trades such as electrician, fitter, welder, plumber, mechanic or computer operator. Most students join after Class 8 or Class 10 and train for six months to two years. Their main course is the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS), run under the national framework set by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) in MSDE. There are both government ITIs and private ITIs across India.
The ₹1,195 crore will upgrade the hub and spoke ITIs in Pune, Kataka, Jammu, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Srinagar with modern labs and new courses. The 3,744 trainers trained at NSTIs reflect the scheme's focus on better teachers, not just better buildings.
WorldSkills Competition: The "Skill Olympics"
The WorldSkills Competition is the world's biggest contest for young skilled workers. Every two years, young people from about 70 or more countries compete in trades like welding, plumbing, cooking, nursing, car repair, web design and robotics. People often call it the "Olympics of Skills". It is run by WorldSkills International, a non-governmental organisation (a body not run by any government).
The National Steering Committee asked each new PM-SETU cluster to include at least one WorldSkills-aligned trade. This means ITIs in Pune, Kataka, Jammu, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Srinagar will have to train some students to international standards, building on India's improving record at WorldSkills.
- Latest PM-SETU approval: ₹1,194.92 crore for 5 ITI clusters; cumulative approvals: ₹3,687 crore
- Approved at the 6th National Steering Committee meeting, chaired by the MSDE Secretary
- Cluster amounts: Pune ₹241 crore; Kataka (Odisha) ₹240.50 crore; Jammu ₹240 crore; Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ₹238.01 crore; Srinagar ₹235.41 crore
- Industry partners: Tata Steel Foundation, BVG India, Belrise Industries, Eagle Infra India, Inderdeep Infra India
- Each cluster: 1 hub ITI + 4 spoke ITIs
- Trainers trained through NSTIs (as of October 2026): 3,744
- PM-SETU: ₹60,000 crore over five years; 1,000 ITIs (200 hubs, 800 spokes); Centre ₹30,000 crore, states ₹20,000 crore, industry ₹10,000 crore