Major Skill Development Boost as Centre Approves Jammu and Srinagar ITI Clusters; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Secretary Kumar Rajeev Ranjan Lead Efforts to Strengthen Youth Employability
Srinagar, Oct 17 (BuzzBytes): Jammu and Kashmir has secured a major investment of ₹475.41 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme for the modernisation and upgradation of 10 Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the Union Territory.
The approval was granted by the National Steering Committee (NSC) during its sixth meeting held in New Delhi on October 16 under the chairpersonship of Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for the Union Territory’s skill development sector and reflects the focused efforts undertaken under the guidance of Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and the leadership of Secretary, Skill Development Department, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan in securing the investment and advancing vocational education reforms.
The approved package includes ₹240 crore for the Jammu ITI Cluster and ₹235.41 crore for the Srinagar ITI Cluster. Each cluster will comprise one hub institute and four associated Government ITIs, aimed at enhancing training infrastructure, introducing advanced technology and strengthening industry-oriented skill development programmes.
Under the Jammu Cluster, Government ITI Jammu will serve as the hub institution, with Government ITIs at R.S. Pura, Nowshera, Samba and Kathua functioning as associated institutes. The project will be implemented in partnership with Eagle Infra India Limited.
For the Srinagar Cluster, Government ITI Srinagar will act as the hub institution, supported by Government ITIs at Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam and Charar-i-Sharief. The cluster will be implemented in collaboration with Inderdeep Infra India Limited.
The initiative will focus on modernising workshops, upgrading training facilities, providing access to state-of-the-art equipment and strengthening practical learning through industry-linked vocational programmes. The interventions are expected to improve the quality of technical education and equip trainees with skills aligned to evolving industry requirements.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Government of India for supporting skill development initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, describing the investment as a crucial step towards empowering the youth and expanding employment opportunities.
Officials said the PM-SETU investment would significantly strengthen industry linkages, enhance employability and help build a skilled workforce capable of meeting emerging economic and industrial demands. The approval is being viewed as a major step towards creating a modern, industry-driven and employment-focused vocational training ecosystem across Jammu and Kashmir.
