Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed gratitude to the Central government for approving Rs 475.41 crore under the PM-SETU scheme to upgrade key ITI clusters across Jammu and Kashmir.
PM-SETU, or Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs, is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to modernise Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and align vocational education with needs of the modern industry.
“Chief Minister has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Jayant Singh) for approving Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) worth Rs 475.41 crore under PM-SETU to upgrade key ITI clusters across Jammu and Kashmir,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a post on X.
The Srinagar cluster, with an approved investment of Rs 235.41 crore, will have ITI Srinagar as its hub, with ITIs at Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam and Charar-i-Sharief forming the spokes.
The hub-and-spoke model is intended to strengthen coordination among the institutions and improve access to modern vocational training facilities. The plans envisage infrastructure upgrades and the introduction of contemporary courses aligned with evolving domestic and global skill requirements.
The initiative also emphasises outcome-based training, with a focus on industry relevance and employment outcomes. The proposed improvements are aimed at helping ITIs provide training that better reflects the skills required by employers and supports employment opportunities for local youth.
The Chief Minister said the investment would help modernise training infrastructure and strengthen links between vocational institutions and industry, while enabling young people in Jammu and Kashmir to acquire job-ready skills.
The two approved Strategic Investment Plans together account for Rs 475.41 crore under PM-SETU. The announcement does not specify a timeline for completing the proposed upgrades or provide a detailed breakdown of the expenditure across individual institutes.
