The government is urging industry leaders to drive a major overhaul of national vocational training through the PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) initiative. Backed by a ₹60,000 crore budget, the program seeks to modernize India's industrial and energy workforce by upgrading ITI labs, machinery, and training curricula to better match market needs.
At the close of the Bharat Electricity 2026 conference- co-located with POWERGEN India and Indian Utility Week- Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) Secretary Debashree Mukherjee detailed a new governance model for ITI clusters. Under this structure, industry partners hold a 51% controlling stake in the Section 8 management companies. While federal and state governments cover most of the funding, industry’s 17% financial share can be drawn from corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets.
