Andhra Pradesh, Centre and AM/NS India Sign Pact To Upgrade Four ITIs
The upgrades would include modern training facilities, industry-relevant equipment, updated courses, new trades, practical training and improved instructor training.
Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh government, the Centre and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India on Monday signed a shareholders’ agreement to upgrade four Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the Visakhapatnam cluster at an investment of Rs 200 crore.
The initiative aims to improve the skills and employability of young people. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is a 50:50 joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel.
According to a press release, the ITIs will be upgraded under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through the Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme.
The national steering committee of PM-SETU has approved the Visakhapatnam cluster’s strategic investment plan, the first such approval in the country. A special purpose vehicle (SPV) would be established to manage the upgrades and operations.
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India would hold a 51 per cent stake in the SPV, while the Andhra Pradesh government and the Centre would hold 24.5 per cent each.
State IT minister Nara Lokesh said the partnership would equip students at the four government ITIs with practical skills relevant to industry.
“Our priority is to ensure that AP’s industrial growth creates opportunities for our young people. This partnership with AM/NS India will help students at four government ITIs gain practical skills that employers need,” he said.
The initiative aims to improve employability by upgrading training facilities and incorporating industry expertise into technical education, Lokesh added.
The government ITI (Old) at Kancharapalem would serve as the main training centre and share its facilities and resources with the other three institutes: Government ITI (Girls) at the Industrial Estate in Visakhapatnam, the government ITI in Bobbili and the government ITI in Narsipatnam.
The upgrades would include modern training facilities, industry-relevant equipment, updated courses, new trades, practical training and improved instructor training.
Closer alignment between training and industry requirements is expected to improve students’ job readiness and help employers recruit skilled local candidates as Andhra Pradesh expands its industrial and manufacturing base, the release said.
Ashutosh Telang, director and vice-president of HR and administration at AM/NS India, said the partnership would combine the company’s manufacturing experience with the technical education expertise of New Age Makers’ Institute of Technology (NAMTECH).
AM/NS India would implement the projects in collaboration with NAMTECH, its academic and technical partner. Improved facilities, practical learning and enhanced instructor training would help students develop skills required by employers, Telang added.
The PM-SETU scheme, a Centre-sponsored programme with an outlay of Rs 60,000 crore, aims to upgrade 1,000 government ITIs through industry partnerships and strengthen five National Skill Training Institutes. It seeks to improve vocational education through modernised infrastructure, industry participation and training in emerging technologies.
