In News:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a series of youth-focused initiatives worth over ?62,000 crore, aimed at empowering India’s young population through education, skill development, and entrepreneurship.
• The announcements were made during the Kaushal DeekshantSamaroh held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, marking a significant step toward building a future-ready workforce aligned with global skill demands.

Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM–SETU)

The centrepiece of the event was the launch of the PM–SETU scheme — a centrally sponsored initiative with an investment of ?60,000 crore. The scheme seeks to revitalize Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India, transforming them into modern, industry-linked centers of skill excellence.

Key Features of PM–SETU

• Coverage: Transformation of 1,000 Government ITIs into modern, technology-driven institutes.
• Implementation Model:
  • Based on a Hub-and-Spoke structure, comprising 200 hub ITIs connected to 800 spoke ITIs.
  • Hub ITIs will host innovation centers, incubation units, production facilities, and training-of-trainers setups.
  • Spoke ITIs will extend outreach, ensuring skill accessibility to smaller towns and semi-urban regions.
• Curriculum and Industry Linkage:
  • Introduction of new demand-driven courses and modernization of existing ones in collaboration with industry partners.
  • Establishment of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with anchor industries to ensure cluster-based training and employability outcomes.
• Academic Integration: Creation of pathways for short-term training, executive programs, and long-term diploma courses to align with higher education and employment opportunities.
• Centres of Excellence: Strengthening of five National Skill Training Institutes—
  • Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
  • Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
  • Hyderabad (Telangana)
  • Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
  • Ludhiana (Punjab)

These will serve as global-level Centres of Excellence through partnerships with leading international institutions.

• Global Collaboration: The initiative is co-financed by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with the first phase focusing on Patna and Darbhanga ITIs in Bihar.

Other Youth-Focused Announcements

• Vocational Skill Labs: Inauguration of 1,200 vocational skill labs across 400 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools spread across 34 States and Union Territories, to integrate skill education at the school level.
• Bihar’s Revamped MukhyamantriNishchay Swayam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana:
  • Under the revamped scheme, five lakh graduate youth in Bihar will receive a monthly allowance of ?1,000 for two years, along with free skill training.
  • The scheme aims to enhance youth employability and entrepreneurship readiness.
• Karpoori Thakur Skill University: A Skill University named after Bharat RatnaKarpoori Thakur will be established to honor his contribution to social empowerment and education.
• Recognition of Excellence: The Prime Minister also felicitated 46 All India Toppers from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).