Centre’s Rs 60,000 Cr Skilling Scheme Discussed by CS with Industry Stakeholders

SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the implementation of the Government of India’s Rs 60,000 crore scheme for upgradation of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Jammu and Kashmir through a hub and spoke model.

The centrally sponsored scheme, titled National Scheme for ITI Upgradation and Setting up of National Centres of Excellence (NCOE) for Skilling, includes a financial outlay of Rs 30,000 crore from the Centre, Rs 20,000 crore from States/UTs, and Rs 10,000 crore from industry and CSR contributions.

Under the model, each designated hub ITI is expected to receive Rs 80 crore, while each spoke ITI will get Rs 40 crore over a five-year period. The financial contribution will follow a 50:30:10 ratio between the Centre, State/UT, and Industry respectively.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary stressed the importance of strong public-private partnerships in realising the goals of the scheme. He urged industry stakeholders to adopt clusters and contribute through curriculum design, infrastructure upgrade, trainer support, and formal MoUs to ensure industry-driven training.

He also directed the Skill Development Department (SDD) to explore partnerships with public sector undertakings and private firms to align training with market demands.

Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education, Shantmanu, called for innovative engagement models and encouraged continued collaboration despite potential challenges. Principal Secretary, Finance, proposed holding a national-level workshop with PSUs and corporate houses to promote investment in J&K’s skilling sector. He also recommended studying models from Delhi, Mumbai, and Gujarat, which have reported 100% placement success.

Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Vikramjit Singh, suggested that industry-aligned groups could be entrusted with managing day-to-day operations of ITIs to enhance industry linkage and training outcomes.

Secretary, SDD, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, presented the scheme’s operational framework. He stated that selected well-performing ITIs will be designated as hubs, while nearby institutions will be developed as spokes. Industrial partners will be responsible for managerial input, curriculum development, trainer deputation, provision of machinery, and On-the-Job Training (OJT) opportunities.

The meeting was attended by senior officers from the Higher Education, Finance, Industries & Commerce, and SDD departments, as well as representatives from J&K Bank, SIDBI, NHPC, TCS, IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, CVVPL, and NHAI.