The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra, will hold a major industry consultation in Pune on 19 January 2026 as part of the rollout of PM SETU, a flagship national initiative aimed at transforming India’s skilling ecosystem and building a future ready, globally competitive workforce aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The industry workshop will be organised at the Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration and is designed to mobilise sustained industry participation and build awareness around the industry led implementation framework of PM SETU. More than 50 eligible companies are expected to participate, representing key sectors including construction, textiles, automotive, FMCG, electronics, oil and gas, and renewable energy. The consultation will be presided over by the Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship along with the Additional Chief Secretary for Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the Government of Maharashtra. The visiting delegation will also interact with industrial training institutes and industry units in the region.
PM SETU, short for Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs, seeks to modernise 1,000 government ITIs across the country through a hub and spoke model. Under the scheme, 200 hub ITIs will be equipped with advanced infrastructure and modern training facilities, while 800 spoke ITIs will extend quality training to districts and aspirational regions. The programme envisages ITIs as government owned but industry managed institutions, enabling demand driven training, expanded apprenticeships and stronger placement outcomes through cluster based partnerships with anchor industries.
Officials said the Pune consultation will underline how PM SETU offers a structured and long term platform for industry to move beyond episodic engagement and play an active role in governance and decision making. Through the cluster model, industry partners will be able to directly contribute to institutional governance, align training with real time labour market needs, support curriculum and pedagogy upgrades, facilitate faculty upskilling and strengthen apprenticeship and placement pipelines. This approach is expected to lower recruitment costs, improve workforce productivity and ensure the availability of job ready talent aligned with industry standards.
Preparatory actions are already underway across the country, with 29 States and Union Territories identifying initial industry clusters and 25 States and Union Territories notifying their State Steering Committees as the scheme moves towards on ground implementation.
As part of the Pune consultation, memoranda of understanding will be exchanged to formalise industry and institutional partnerships aimed at strengthening vocational training and employability outcomes in Maharashtra. These include partnerships between the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training and FIAT India, Schneider Electric India and the Anudip Foundation, as well as between the Directorate and SDN Wadhwani.
PM SETU is being positioned as a defining intervention in India’s skilling journey, redefining collaboration between government and industry to build high quality vocational institutions, modernise training ecosystems and create a robust talent pipeline for emerging growth sectors. By strengthening governance, aligning skills with labour market demand and modernising ITIs, the initiative is expected to play a critical role in preparing India’s youth for the opportunities of a developed and self reliant India.
