New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has approved a Rs 60,000 crore plan to revamp over 1,000 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India, aiming to bridge skill gaps in high-growth sectors.
Key Focus: Industry-Aligned Skill Training
The centrally sponsored scheme will involve joint funding by the central government, state governments, and private industry. Of the total cost, the Centre will contribute Rs 30,000 crore, the states Rs 20,000 crore, and industry partners Rs 10,000 crore. Additionally, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank will co-finance 50% of the central government’s share.
The scheme targets skilling two million youth over five years, with a focus on industries such as electronics, automotive, and renewable energy. According to the government, the plan will revamp outdated courses, upgrade training infrastructure, and create a better link between workforce supply and real industry demand.
Five National Centres of Excellence Planned
The scheme includes setting up five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling within existing National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Ludhiana. These centres will be developed to strengthen training of trainers (ToT) and support pre-service and in-service training for 50,000 instructors.
Need-Based Investment and Implementation Model
Highlighting gaps in previous financial allocations, the government said that earlier schemes did not meet the full infrastructure and capacity-building needs of ITIs. The new scheme aims to adopt a flexible, need-based investment model to address specific infrastructure and trade-related requirements at individual institutes.
Implementation will follow a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) model with industry involvement, intended to ensure accountability and measurable outcomes departing from past models that lacked strong industry engagement.
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