New Delhi, June 02, 2026: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has secured the first-ever approval of a Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) under the Government of India’s Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme. The approval, granted to the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster in Andhra Pradesh, makes the state the first in the country to operationalise an industry partnership under the programme.
The proposal was submitted by AM/NS India along with its academic partner, New Age Makers Institute of Technology (NAMTECH), and was approved during the third meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) convened by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi.
The meeting was chaired by Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and attended by senior officials from the Directorate General of Training (DGT), representatives of various ministries, state governments, industry partners, and development institutions, including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
With the approval of the Visakhapatnam cluster, Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state to onboard an Anchor Industry Partner (AIP) under PM-SETU. The initiative is expected to support the transformation of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into industry-managed, outcome-oriented institutions aligned with evolving workforce requirements.
According to the Ministry, the approval marks a significant step towards implementing PM-SETU’s industry-led Hub-and-Spoke model, which aims to strengthen vocational education through deeper collaboration between government, industry, and training institutions.
The National Steering Committee also reviewed the overall progress of PM-SETU across participating states and discussed measures to strengthen industry participation, improve institutional governance, enhance financial sustainability of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), and accelerate project implementation.
PM-SETU is a flagship government initiative with an outlay of ₹60,000 crore aimed at upgrading 1,000 Government ITIs across the country. The scheme seeks to modernise training infrastructure, improve employability outcomes, establish National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs) in high-growth sectors, and create a future-ready workforce for advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.
As of now, 32 States and Union Territories have constituted State Steering Committees, while 12 States and UTs have issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to invite industry participation in selecting Anchor Industry Partners. Several of these processes are expected to conclude in the coming weeks.
The Ministry stated that additional Strategic Investment Plans from other states are expected to receive approval in the coming months, paving the way for broader implementation of industry-led vocational training reforms under the PM-SETU programme.
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