Srinagar, Oct 16 (KNO): The Centre has approved an investment of Rs 475.41 crore for upgrading two Industrial Training Institute (ITI) clusters in Jammu and Kashmir under the PM-SETU scheme, with private companies set to partner in modernising vocational training infrastructure.
According to an official statement sent to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the National Steering Committee of the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) approved Rs 240 crore for the Jammu ITI cluster and Rs 235.41 crore for the Srinagar cluster at its meeting held in New Delhi on Friday.
It said that Eagle Infra India Ltd will partner in upgrading the Jammu cluster, while Inderdeep Infra India Ltd has been selected for the Srinagar cluster.
The Srinagar cluster comprises Government ITI Srinagar as the hub, with ITIs in Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam and Charar-i-Sharief as associated institutes. The Jammu cluster includes Government ITI Jammu as the hub, with ITIs in R S Pura, Nowshera, Samba and Kathua as associated institutes.
The approved plans envisage modernisation of infrastructure, introduction of industry-aligned courses, improved training facilities and capacity-building for instructors, with the stated objective of improving employment opportunities for trainees.
Approvals are part of five ITI cluster projects worth Rs 1,194.92 crore cleared at the meeting. The other three clusters are in Maharashtra and Odisha.
With the latest approvals, the total investment sanctioned under PM-SETU has reached Rs 3,687 crore, the statement said.
The committee also reviewed the scheme's instructor-training component. According to the statement, 3,744 trainers had been trained through National Skill Training Institutes as of October 2026.
The PM-SETU scheme aims to upgrade ITIs through partnerships involving governments and industry. The impact of the newly approved projects will depend on their implementation, the quality of training and the extent to which the courses meet employers' requirements—(KNO)