Mohali, April 1
Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Satnam Singh Sandhu enquired about the identification of industry clusters in Punjab under the PM SETU Scheme.
He praised the Union Government for launching PM SETU – Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs scheme which is aimed at upgradation of ITIs through a cohesive effort of Union Government, state government and industry.
In a question asked in Rajya Sabha, MP Satnam Sandhu Punjab government about the response industry has submitted in their investment plan under the scheme. In his address also mentioned that the union government allocated a budget Rs 60,000 crores for PM SETU scheme which is aimed at modernizing the ITIs by upgrading and upskilling the youth workforce who would be trained at these institutions.
While terming the PM SETU scheme as “revolutionary and visionary initiative” by the Union Government, he sought details regarding the number of industrial clusters identified in Punjab and the extent of investment received under the scheme. He also sought details on how many anchor industry partners have submitted their strategic investment plans as required under the scheme.
Sandhu noted that while Punjab’s industry is facing challenges, the state’s youth are increasingly stepping forward to acquire quality skills. He urged the government to provide clarity on cluster development and investment inflows to ensure better alignment between industry needs and skilling efforts.
Responding to the question, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, said that Punjab has already identified industrial clusters under the scheme. The state has also constituted a state steering committee to oversee implementation in line with the guidelines of the National Steering Committee.
The MoS for Skill Development also informed that the state has also created a separate state budget head under the scheme. It clarified that Punjab has not yet floated the Request for Proposal (RFP) for selecting anchor industry partners which is a key requirement under the scheme. The centre government is coordinating with the state government and hope that the process will be expedited.
On capacity building and enhancement of skill development infrastructure in the country, Chaudhary said, “Under component 2 of PM SETU, five National Centres of Excellence are being established for advanced training and instructor development out of which one Centres of Excellence has been identified at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) Ludhiana in Punjab.”
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