Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a pioneer in the national effort to upgrade vocational education, with the National Steering Committee (NSC) approving the first-ever Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme for the Visakhapatnam ITI Cluster, according to an official statement.

The proposal, submitted by ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), was cleared during the 3rd NSC meeting held at Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi, chaired by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

The National Steering Committee approved a ₹200.21-crore Strategic Investment Plan for Visakhapatnam’s ITI Cluster under the PM-SETU scheme.

The approval marks the first operational industry partnership under the ₹60,000-crore flagship initiative across the nation, establishing Andhra Pradesh as the first State to onboard an Anchor Industry Partner (AIP).

The PM-SETU scheme aims to transform 1,000 Government ITIs across the country through an industry-led ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ model, designed to modernise infrastructure and align vocational training with the requirements of advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies.

The successful approval of the Visakhapatnam cluster is expected to serve as a national model for strengthening industry participation in vocational training, fostering outcome-oriented governance, and enhancing the financial sustainability of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) created under the scheme.

The initiative is a critical component of broader government efforts to build a future-ready workforce for Viksit Bharat-2047, with 32 States and Union Territories already having constituted their respective steering committees to accelerate implementation.