Onlykashmir.in News Desk
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 worth ₹475.41 crore. The money will upgrade Industrial Training Institute clusters across Jammu and Kashmir under the PM-SETU scheme.
Under the approved plans, the Jammu ITI cluster will receive ₹240 crore. ITI Jammu will serve as the hub, with institutes in R.S. Pura, Nowshera, Samba and Kathua as spokes. The Srinagar ITI cluster has been allocated ₹235.41 crore. ITI Srinagar will be its hub, with institutes in Ganderbal, Kangan, Budgam and Charar-i-Sharief as spokes. Together the two allocations make up the total of ₹475.41 crore, spread across both divisions of the Union Territory.
The initiative follows a hub-and-spoke model, in which a larger, better-equipped hub institute supports smaller spoke institutes in its cluster. The approach is meant to modernise training infrastructure, introduce contemporary courses and align curricula with the changing needs of industry and with domestic and global skill demands. By linking institutes in smaller towns to a stronger central hub, the model can bring better equipment, trainers and course content to places that have often lagged behind in vocational training.
The Chief Minister said the investment would strengthen industry linkages, promote outcome-based training and equip the youth of Jammu and Kashmir with industry-ready skills. This, he said, would improve their employability and widen access to better livelihood opportunities. He added that the initiative would help transform ITIs into modern skill development hubs and ensure that vocational training keeps pace with changing economic needs and emerging employment opportunities.
For a Union Territory where jobs for young people remain a leading public concern, the approval is significant. ITIs are often the first point of entry into skilled trades for students who do not pursue conventional degree courses, and their usefulness depends on how closely their courses match what employers actually need. The stress on outcome-based training and industry linkages suggests that the new plans will measure success by placements and employability, and not only by enrolment.
The coming months will show how quickly the funds translate into new workshops, equipment, courses and trained instructors across the eight spoke institutes and two hubs. Timelines, the choice of trades and the involvement of industry partners will determine whether the upgrade delivers the modern skill centres the Chief Minister has described. For the thousands of young people who look to these institutes for a livelihood, the progress of the work will be closely watched.
