IN A landmark initiative for youth development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil various youth-focused initiatives worth more than Rs 62,000 crore at 11 AM in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, giving a decisive push to education, skilling and entrepreneurship across the country. The programme will also feature the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh, the fourth edition of the National Skill Convocation, organized in accordance with the Prime Minister’s vision, where 46 All India Toppers from Industrial Training Institutes under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship will be felicitated.

 

The Prime Minister will launch PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs), a centrally sponsored scheme with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore. The scheme envisages the upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs across the country in a hub-and-spoke model comprising 200 hub ITIs and 800 spoke ITIs. Each hub will be connected to four spokes on average, creating clusters equipped with advanced infrastructure, modern trades, digital learning systems and incubation facilities. Anchor Industry Partners will manage these clusters, ensuring outcome-based skilling aligned with market demand. Hubs will also house innovation centres, training-of-trainers facilities, production units and placement services, while spokes will focus on expanding access. Collectively, PM-SETU will redefine India’s ITI ecosystem, making it Government-owned but industry-managed, with global co-financing support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. In the first phase of the scheme, there will be special focus on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga.

 

The Prime Minister will inaugurate 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs established in 400 Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across 34 States and Union Territories. These labs will equip students, including those in remote and tribal areas, with hands-on training in 12 high-demand sectors such as IT, automotive, agriculture, electronics, logistics and tourism. Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and CBSE curriculum, the project also involves the training of 1,200 vocational teachers to deliver industry-relevant learning and create an early foundation for employability.

 

A special emphasis of the programme will be on transformative projects in Bihar, reflecting the State’s rich legacy and youthful demographic. Prime Minister will launch Bihar’s revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana, under which nearly five lakh graduate youth every year will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for two years, along with free skill training. He will also launch the redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, which will provide completely interest-free education loans of up to Rs 4 lakh.