Karnataka urges industry partnership for PM-SETU ITI modernisation drive
Karnataka seeks active industry collaboration to implement PM-SETU, upgrading 48 ITIs under a hub-and-spoke model with significant funding.
Karnataka's Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil has called for active collaboration between public and private sector industries to ensure the success of the PM-SETU scheme in the state. The initiative aims to upgrade 48 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into advanced, industry-led skill centres.
PM-SETU, or Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs, is a ₹60,000-crore Union government programme to modernise 1,000 ITIs nationwide. During a meeting with industry representatives, Patil stressed that industries should also partner with educational institutions to develop the skilled workforce they require.
Skill Development Minister Sharan Prakash Patil explained that the scheme operates on a hub-and-spoke model, with four ITIs attached to each hub. Karnataka has 12 hubs and 48 ITIs under the programme. One hub each has been selected in Bengaluru Urban and Kalaburagi districts, and industries in these regions have been urged to participate actively.
In Bengaluru Urban, the Peenya ITI will serve as the hub, with the Tumakuru Road, Domlur, Hosur Road, and Devanahalli ITIs as spokes. In North Karnataka, the Kalaburagi Government ITI for Boys will be the hub, linked to ITIs at Sedam, Afzalpur, Jewargi, and the Kalaburagi Government ITI for Women.
A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be constituted for implementation, including six industry representatives. Companies with an annual turnover of at least ₹500 crore and more than 1,000 employees will be eligible to participate. CSR divisions, foundations, and similar entities can also join the scheme, helping design curricula and training programmes based on their needs.
Funding for the scheme includes ₹112 crore from the Union government, ₹98 crore from the state government, and ₹31 crore from the industrial sector. Patil also noted that Karnataka has 270 government ITIs, and the government would welcome industries adopting these institutions to improve their facilities.