ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has secured the first-ever approval of a Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, with the National Steering Committee clearing its proposal for the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster in Andhra Pradesh. The approval was granted during the third meeting of the National Steering Committee convened by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi. With the clearance, Andhra Pradesh has become the first state to operationalise an industry partnership under the PM-SETU scheme and onboard an Anchor Industry Partner.
The meeting was chaired by MSDE Secretary Debashree Mukherjee and attended by Director General of Training Dilip Kumar, representatives from central ministries, state governments, industry leaders including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, ITC Limited and AM/NS India, along with development partners such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
Officials said the approval marks a significant step towards transforming government Industrial Training Institutes into industry-managed, outcome-oriented institutions capable of meeting evolving workforce requirements. The Visakhapatnam cluster is expected to serve as a model for other states seeking greater industry participation in vocational education and training. In Guwahati, the rapid rollout of PM-SETU could strengthen Assam’s skill development ecosystem by encouraging greater collaboration between industries and training institutes. The initiative is expected to support workforce readiness for sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure and emerging technologies, creating opportunities for skilled youth in the region. PM-SETU, a ₹60,000 crore flagship programme of the Government of India, aims to transform 1,000 government ITIs through an industry-led Hub-and-Spoke model. With 32 states and Union Territories already having constituted State Steering Committees and several states moving ahead with industry partner selection, the scheme is entering a full-scale implementation phase aimed at building a future-ready workforce for Viksit Bharat 2047.