Indian corporate giants, including Reliance Group, Adani Group, Mahindra Group, JK Cement, Jindal Group, Toyota India, and Schneider Electric, have shown interest to partner with the government under the ₹60,000 crore National Scheme for Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Upgradation. These giants have submitted the list of their preferred states and the sectors to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, which is tasked with the implementation of the scheme, the Economic Times reported.
Apart from these giants, others in the race to partner for the ₹60,000 crore scheme for upgradation include Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Auto, Aditya Birla Group, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and Hindustan Aeronautics.
“Besides these, talks are on with Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Auto and Aditya Birla Group as well as with major public sector enterprises, including Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to undertake ITI upgradation in their clusters,” ET reported, citing sources.
What Are the States & Sectors Preferred by the Giants?
The Mahindra Group has reportedly proposed upgrading ITIs in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Goa and in sectors like automotive and hospitality. Reliance Group has pitched for states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh for renewables, retail, advanced manufacturing and petrochemical engineering, whereas the Jindal Group has proposed to impart training in Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand in conventional and new-age trade groupings.
Toyota India has pitched to upgrade ITIs in the automobile-related sector in Karnataka. Billionaire Gautam Adani-led Adani Group has proposed to enhance ITIs in sectors like solar power, drones and port operations in a number of states, including Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Northeast.
JK Cement has reportedly shown interest to impart training in construction, electrical and electronics, renewable energy and hospitality in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
How Will the Govt-Industry Partnership Work Under the Scheme?
In May this year, the union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its nod for the National Scheme for ITI Upgradation along with the approval to set up five National Centres of Excellence (NCOE) as a centrally sponsored scheme.
“The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the National Scheme for ITI Upgradation...as a centrally sponsored scheme,” the website PM India said on May 7.
The ₹60,000 crore scheme will be carried out in partnership with the government, both the central and the state and industry. The centre and the state will contribute ₹30,000 crore and ₹20,000 crore, respectively, and the remaining ₹10,000 crore will be financed by industry. Up to 50% of the centre's contribution will be equally co-funded by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
