The National Steering Committee (NSC) of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has approved a Strategic Investment Plan worth ₹320 crore for the Kurukshetra ITI Cluster in Haryana under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme. This approval brings the cumulative investment sanctioned under PM-SETU to ₹2,491 crore across 10 ITI clusters nationwide. Jindal Naveen Avsar Limited will partner with the Government of Haryana as the Anchor Industry Partner for the cluster, marking their second participation in the scheme following their involvement in the Barbil ITI Cluster in Odisha where a ₹240 crore investment was approved.
The Kurukshetra cluster will be developed under the Hub-and-Spoke model comprising seven Government ITIs. Government ITI, Kurukshetra will serve as the Hub ITI, while six institutes will function as Spoke ITIs: Government ITI (Women), Kurukshetra; Government ITI, Kaithal; Government ITI (Women), Kaithal; Government ITI, Pehowa; Government ITI, Pabnawa; and Government ITI (Women), Ambala City. The investment will support infrastructure development, modernization of training facilities, introduction of industry-aligned courses, and enhancement of employability outcomes for trainees.
Under PM-SETU, industry partners play a central role in shaping ITI transformation through curriculum development, infrastructure enhancement, training delivery, faculty engagement, apprenticeships, industry exposure and placement support. The scheme has a total outlay of ₹60,000 crore and envisages the upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs through an industry-led Hub-and-Spoke model, comprising 200 Hub ITIs and 800 Spoke ITIs across the country. Additionally, the scheme provides for capacity augmentation of five National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), including establishment of sector-specific National Centres of Excellence.
Minister Jayant Chaudhary emphasized that bringing industry closer to ITIs will create stronger employment pathways for youth and make skill development more relevant and responsive to changing industry needs. The initiative aims to transform Industrial Training Institutes into industry-led, future-ready centres of excellence aligned with evolving workforce requirements.