Srinagar, Oct 17 (KNO): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary for approving Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) worth ₹475.41 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme for upgrading key Industrial Training Institute (ITI) clusters across Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the initiative, the Jammu ITI Cluster, with ITI Jammu as the hub and ITIs at R.S. Pura, Nowshera, Samba and Kathua as spokes, will be upgraded with an approved investment of ₹240 crore.
Similarly, the Srinagar ITI Cluster, with ITI Srinagar as the hub and ITIs at Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam and Charar-i-Sharief as spokes, will be modernised with an investment of ₹235.41 crore.
The initiative will follow a hub-and-spoke model to modernise training infrastructure, introduce contemporary courses and align curricula with evolving industry requirements and domestic and global skill demands.
The Chief Minister said the initiative would strengthen industry linkages, promote outcome-based training and equip the youth of Jammu and Kashmir with industry-ready skills, enhancing their employability and access to better livelihood opportunities.
He said the investment would help transform ITIs into modern skill development hubs, ensuring that vocational training remains responsive to changing economic needs and emerging employment opportunities—(KNO)