PM-SETU Approves ₹440 Crore for Nine Government ITIs in Surat and Visakhapatnam

On 12 October 2026, PM-SETU approved ₹440 crore to upgrade nine Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in two clusters: five in Surat, Gujarat, and four in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The Directorate General of Training (DGT), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), the two State Governments and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) signed Shareholders' Agreements. It matters because industry holds the majority stake in the bodies that will run the upgraded ITIs.

PM-SETU ITI approval: key facts

What was approved and who signed

Parties to the agreements

The Shareholders' Agreements involve the Central Government (through DGT and MSDE), the Governments of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, and AM/NS India as the private-sector partner. The sources do not give a separate signing date, so this page treats 12 October 2026 as the approval date reported by GKToday.

How the cluster companies are structured

Dedicated Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) will manage the upgradation and operation of the clusters. AM/NS India will hold 51% of the equity. The Government of India and the respective State Government will each hold 24.5%, which together make up the whole equity.

Planned upgrades

AM/NS India will implement the programme with NAMTECH as academic and technical partner. The planned changes are:

• modernised training infrastructure, workshops and laboratories;
• new trades linked to industry needs and emerging technologies;
• revised curricula;
• support for curriculum reform and faculty development.

As of 15 October 2026, the evidence shows approval and agreements. It does not report completed upgrades, so these changes should be read as planned, not delivered.

Background: the wider PM-SETU scheme

PM-SETU stands for Prime Minister Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs. ETRajasthan, citing the Rajasthan government's Department of Information and Public Relations, describes the national programme as follows:

• Budget of ₹60,000 crore: ₹30,000 crore from the Centre, ₹20,000 crore from states and ₹10,000 crore from industry.
• 1,000 government ITIs to be upgraded, comprising 200 hub institutions and 800 spoke centres.
• Five National Skill Training Institutes to be upgraded into centres of excellence through global partnerships.
• Roughly 50% of each cluster's cost from the Centre, 33% from states and 17% from industry.

These are figures from a state-government release as reported by ETRajasthan, not from the Surat–Visakhapatnam report. The evidence does not say how the ₹440 crore divides among the Centre, the states and AM/NS India.

A related development in Rajasthan

ETRajasthan, in a report published on 14 October 2026, says Rajasthan became the first state to sign a shareholder agreement under PM-Setu, after approval of a ₹241 crore plan for the Bhiwadi cluster. H.G. Infra Engineering Ltd is the anchor partner, Government ITI Bhiwadi is the hub, and the ITIs at Alwar, Neemrana, Tijara and Kishangarhbas are spokes. This sits uneasily with the GKToday report of agreements for Surat and Visakhapatnam, and the evidence gives no signing dates to settle the order. Treat the 'first state' claim as the Rajasthan government's account, as reported by ETRajasthan.

Exam-relevant context

Learners revising government schemes can note the full form of PM-SETU, the two cluster locations and their states, and the 51 : 24.5 : 24.5 equity pattern. Also note the role of DGT under MSDE. GKToday describes DGT as associated with administering vocational training programmes, including the Craftsmen Training Scheme. This is background for revision and does not predict any exam question.

FAQ

Which ITIs are covered by the ₹440 crore approval?

Nine Government ITIs: five in Surat, Gujarat, and four in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Who holds the majority stake in the SPVs?

AM/NS India holds 51%. The Centre and the relevant State Government hold 24.5% each.

Have the upgrades been completed?

The evidence does not say so. It reports approval and signed agreements, with upgrades described as planned.

Practice MCQs

Question 1

How much did PM-SETU approve for upgrading nine Government ITIs on 12 October 2026?

1. ₹241 crore
2. ₹440 crore
3. ₹10,000 crore
4. ₹60,000 crore

Answer: ₹440 crore — GKToday reports this as the amount approved for the nine ITIs in the Surat and Visakhapatnam clusters.

Question 2

In which two places are the clusters covered by this approval located?

1. Surat and Visakhapatnam
2. Bhiwadi and Surat
3. Visakhapatnam and Jaipur
4. Surat and Kota

Answer: Surat and Visakhapatnam — the nine ITIs are grouped into these two clusters in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

Question 3

What equity does AM/NS India hold in each cluster SPV?

1. 24.5%
2. 33%
3. 51%
4. 100%

Answer: 51% — the Centre and the relevant State Government hold 24.5% each.

Question 4

Which institution is the academic and technical partner for the programme with AM/NS India?

1. New Age Makers' Institute of Technology (NAMTECH)
2. Directorate General of Training
3. National Skill Training Institute
4. H.G. Infra Engineering Ltd

Answer: New Age Makers' Institute of Technology (NAMTECH) — it supports curriculum reforms and faculty development.

Question 5

What does PM-SETU stand for?

1. Prime Minister Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs
2. Prime Minister Skill Education and Training through Universities
3. Public Manufacturing Skills and Employment Training Unit
4. Prime Minister Scheme for Employment in Technical Institutes

Answer: Prime Minister Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs — this is the full form given in the ETRajasthan report.