Centre, States and AM/NS India Sign Agreements to Upgrade Nine ITIs in Gujarat & AP with Rs 440-Cr Investment
The agreements cover five ITIs in Surat and four in Visakhapatnam, marking a further step towards industry-led modernisation of the country’s vocational training ecosystem under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, an official release said on Monday.
The agreements were signed by the Directorate General of Training under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the respective State Governments and AM/NS India to facilitate implementation of the approved Strategic Investment Plans for the two clusters.
The investment includes ₹240 crore for the Surat cluster and ₹200 crore for Visakhapatnam.
Dedicated special purpose vehicles (SPVs) will be established to oversee the upgradation and operations of the clusters, with AM/NS India holding a 51 per cent stake and the Centre and respective State Governments holding 24.5 per cent each.
The projects will focus on modernising workshops and laboratories, introducing industry-relevant trades and technologies, updating curricula, strengthening instructor training and expanding practical learning opportunities for trainees.
AM/NS India will implement the projects in collaboration with New Age Makers’ Institute of Technology (NAMTECH), its academic and technical partner. While AM/NS India will contribute manufacturing expertise and industry inputs, NAMTECH will support curriculum development, training delivery, faculty development and academic innovation.
Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Debashree Mukherjee said the agreements marked the beginning of a transformation process for ITIs, with the objective of improving training quality, raising aspirations and developing institutions capable of producing internationally competitive skilled workers.
The Surat and Visakhapatnam projects form part of the first 14 Strategic Investment Plans approved under PM-SETU, involving a proposed investment of ₹3,446 crore, according to the ministry.
PM-SETU is a flagship Central Government scheme with an outlay of ₹60,000 crore to transform vocational education through industry partnerships and institutional reforms.
It envisages upgrading 1,000 government ITIs and strengthening five National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).
TNT KS
