New Delhi, 16 October 2026: The National Steering Committee for the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) has approved five Strategic Investment Plans worth ₹1,194.92 crore. The plans will upgrade Industrial Training Institute (ITI) clusters in Maharashtra, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) said.
The approvals were made at the committee’s sixth meeting, chaired by MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee. With these plans, the cumulative investment approved under PM-SETU has reached ₹3,687 crore.
Which ITI clusters were approved under PM-SETU?
| ITI Cluster | State / UT | Partner | Approved Investment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kataka | Odisha | Tata Steel Foundation | ₹240.50 crore |
| Pune | Maharashtra | BVG India (with BVG Foundation) | ₹241 crore |
| Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | Maharashtra | Belrise Industries | ₹238.01 crore |
| Jammu | Jammu & Kashmir | Eagle Infra India | ₹240 crore |
| Srinagar | Jammu & Kashmir | Inderdeep Infra India | ₹235.41 crore |
Each cluster has one hub ITI supported by four spoke institutes, so 25 ITIs are covered across the five clusters.
Hub and spoke ITIs in each cluster
- Kataka (Odisha): Government ITI Kataka is the hub. The spokes are Madhusudan Government ITI Choudwar, and Government ITIs at Paradeep, Jajpur and Dhenkanal.
- Pune (Maharashtra): Government ITI Aundh, Pune is the hub. The spokes are Government ITI Aundh (Women) and Government ITIs at Pimpri Chinchwad, Khed (Rajgurunagar) and Mulshi.
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra): Government ITI Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is the hub. The spokes are Government ITIs at Paithan, Khultabad, Phulambri and Gangapur.
- Jammu (J&K): Government ITI Jammu is the hub. The spokes are Government ITIs at R.S. Pura, Nowshera, Samba and Kathua.
- Srinagar (J&K): Government ITI Srinagar is the hub. The spokes are Government ITIs at Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam and Charar-i-Sharief.
What will the plans focus on?
According to the ministry, the plans will be carried out through partnerships between state governments, industry partners and participating ITIs. The projects will focus on:
- Modernising infrastructure
- Introducing industry-aligned courses
- Strengthening trainer capacity
- Enhancing industry engagement
- Improving employability outcomes for youth
ISO certification and WorldSkills-aligned trades
Speaking at the meeting, Mukherjee encouraged clusters to work towards ISO certification and to include at least one WorldSkills-aligned trade or competency area in their Approved Implementation Plans. She said the aim is to improve training quality and help young people gain skills that lead to better employment opportunities. She also called the progress made by Jammu & Kashmir “encouraging.”
Training of Trainers progress
The committee also reviewed the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme under Component II of PM-SETU. It aims to build a pool of industry-ready instructors with current technical and teaching skills. As of October 2026, 3,744 trainers had been trained through the National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).
What happens next?
The government release does not give a timeline for when work at the five clusters will begin or finish. This article will be updated when the ministry or the state governments announce implementation details.
Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, National Steering Committee Approves ₹1,194.92 Crore Investment Under PM-SETU for Five ITI Clusters, 16 October 2026.