Govt Launches ₹60,000 Cr Plan to Upgrade ITIs, Skill 2 Million Youth; Big Corporates Join In

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has rolled out a ₹60,000 crore plan to modernise 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India. The goal is to skill two million young people over five years and make vocational education more aligned with what today’s industries need.

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Big Companies Ready to Support Skilling Push

Twelve large companies, including Reliance, Adani, and Mahindra, have shown interest in being part of the project. Eight of them—like JK Cement, Toyota India, Jindal Group, Schneider Electric, and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel—have already suggested where and in which sectors they want to operate.

The plan will follow a hub-and-spoke model. In this setup, selected ITIs will act as central hubs with better facilities and trainers. These hubs will then help nearby smaller ITIs (the spokes) maintain quality and offer training that fits local job needs.

Some company proposals include:

• Reliance will focus on Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh in sectors such as renewables, retail, and petrochemicals.
• Adani is looking at states like Gujarat, Bihar, and the Northeast, planning training in solar, drones, and port handling.
• Mahindra aims to train youth in the automotive and hospitality space in Maharashtra, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh.
• JK Cement has chosen Rajasthan, UP, and MP, and will offer training in construction and electronics.

Strong Monitoring and Global Backing

A National Steering Committee has been set up to make sure everything stays on track. It includes people from government departments and partner companies. This group will guide the plan, approve fund use, and check state proposals.

Five Centres of Excellence are also planned in cities like Kanpur, Chennai, and Bhubaneswar to give advanced training, mainly in manufacturing fields.

The funding will come from multiple sources:

• ₹30,000 crore from the central government
• ₹20,000 crore from state governments
• ₹10,000 crore from companies

The World Bank and Asian Development Bank will co-fund half of the central contribution, showing global support.

Private Sector Targets

Several companies are setting clear goals. NAMTECH, backed by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, wants to train 5 lakh youth by 2028. Other firms like Bajaj Auto, L&T, and Aditya Birla Group are also in talks. Public sector players like BHEL and HAL may join too.

Conclusion

This massive ITI upgrade plan is a big step in closing India’s skill gap. With industry leaders on board and strong monitoring in place, the project could improve job readiness for young Indians and better match training with real industry needs.