Lucknow, August 30: The Uttar Pradesh government has called for greater participation from industries in the modernisation of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), with a particular focus on creating a skilled workforce for emerging sectors such as defence, aerospace, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
The emphasis was placed on strengthening collaboration between industry and vocational training institutions under the PM-SETU initiative. Officials and industry representatives discussed ways to make technical education more closely aligned with the changing requirements of the manufacturing and strategic sectors.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak assured participating industries of the state government’s support and said strengthening the skill-development ecosystem would remain an important priority in the state’s development strategy.
Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal said Uttar Pradesh is working to expand and modernise its skill-training infrastructure to support the state’s growing industrial base.
He highlighted the state’s extensive network of government ITIs and the identification of eight PM-SETU clusters as an opportunity to bring vocational training closer to industry requirements.
Training Director General Dileep Kumar said the initiative could establish a more structured relationship between industries and ITIs.
Under the proposed model, Anchor Industry Partners would have a significant role in developing and modernising ITI clusters, helping align institutional training with practical workforce requirements.
Principal Secretary of the state’s Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department Dr Hari Om urged leading companies to participate actively in strengthening the state’s skill ecosystem.
Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mansi Sahay Thakur explained the PM-SETU framework and its broader objectives, while Invest UP Chief Executive Officer Vijay Kiran Anand called for coordinated efforts among government agencies and industry stakeholders to maximise the programme’s impact.
Representatives of defence public sector enterprises and strategic industries pointed to growing demand for trained technicians in areas including aerospace systems, shipbuilding, electronics manufacturing, precision engineering, defence production, advanced welding, mechatronics and drone technology.
Under the proposed PM-SETU cluster structure, a project comprising one Hub ITI and four Spoke ITIs could attract investment of up to Rs 241 crore. The funding model provides for contributions from the Centre, state governments and industry partners.
The proposed Special Purpose Vehicle structure gives Anchor Industry Partners a 51 per cent ownership stake, while the Centre and state government would each hold 24.5 per cent. The arrangement is intended to provide industry with a stronger role in the development and operation of ITI clusters.Eight clusters covering 32 ITIs have so far been identified in Uttar Pradesh, with seven reportedly still open for industry collaboration.
At the national level, approved industry-participation proposals under PM-SETU represent more than Rs 1,500 crore in committed industry-led investment across seven clusters in five states, with additional proposals under consideration.
The event also witnessed the signing of an MoU between the National Skill Development Corporation and the Lucknow Cantonment Board for setting up the Shaurya Academy. The proposed academy will prepare young people for career opportunities in the armed forces, police and other uniformed services.
The initiatives are aimed at building a stronger connection between vocational education and industrial demand while creating a sustained pipeline of technically trained manpower for India’s emerging economic and strategic sectors.
