Industry participation crucial for PM-SETU scheme:MB Patil

Industries Minister MB Patil on Friday called for greater participation from the public and private sectors in the PM-SETU scheme aimed at upgrading 48 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across Karnataka.
According to agency reports, addressing a meeting with industry representatives, Patil said companies should work closely with educational institutions to build a skilled workforce aligned with their specific industry requirements.The PM-SETU scheme will be implemented through a hub-and-spoke model, covering 12 hubs with four ITIs linked to each hub. Bengaluru Urban and Kalaburagi districts have each been selected to host one hub.In Bengaluru Urban, the Peenya ITI will function as the hub, while ITIs at Tumakuru Road, Domlur, Hosur Road and Devanahalli will serve as spoke institutions.

India’s greatest strength is its youth. Karnataka is preparing them to lead the future.
₹241 Crore to Upgrade 48 ITIs with Global Skills

Under PM SETU, Karnataka will upgrade 48 ITIs through 12 hubs to equip youth with industry-relevant skills and better employment… pic.twitter.com/40Ve3WEY6R

— M B Patil (@MBPatil) September 4, 2026

In Kalaburagi, the Government ITI for Boys will serve as the hub. The ITIs at Sedam, Afzalpur and Jewargi, along with the Government ITI for Women in Kalaburagi, will function as spoke institutions.Patil said a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) would be established to oversee implementation of the scheme. The SPV will include six representatives from industry.
He said companies could participate through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) divisions, foundations and other entities. Companies with an annual turnover of at least Rs 500 crore and more than 1,000 employees will be eligible to participate.Under the initiative, participating industries will have an opportunity to contribute to the design of curricula, training programmes and skill development frameworks based on the workforce requirements of different sectors.
The Centre will provide Rs 112 crore for the scheme, while the Karnataka government will contribute Rs 98 crore. The industry sector is expected to contribute Rs 31 crore.Skill Development Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said Karnataka currently has 270 government ITIs and encouraged industries to come forward to adopt ITIs.“If industries come forward to adopt these ITIs, they will be allowed to do so,” he said.Representatives of several major companies and organisations, including Boeing, Biocon, Jindal, Toyota, Lenskart, Autoliv, Centum and NTTF, participated in the meeting.The government said stronger industry involvement would help align ITI training with changing market requirements and improve the employability of students graduating from the state’s technical training institutions.

(State Correspondent)