PM to launch Rs 62,000-crore youth development initiatives on Saturday
New Delhi, Oct 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a package of youth-focused initiatives worth over Rs 62,000 crore on Saturday at Vigyan Bhawan, aimed at giving a major push to education, skill development and entrepreneurship.
The programme will feature the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh, the fourth National Skill Convocation, where 46 All India Toppers from Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) will be felicitated. At the centre of the announcements is PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs), a `60,000-crore centrally sponsored scheme to modernize 1,000 ITIs under a hub-and-spoke model. Backed by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, the initiative will be government-owned but industry-managed, featuring advanced labs, innovation centres, incubation units and placement services.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate 1,200 vocational skill labs across Navodaya Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Residential Schools in 34 states and UTs, training students in 12 high-demand sectors such as IT, agriculture, automotive and tourism.
Bihar will be a special focus, with the launch of the revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana offering allowances and free skill training for graduates, a redesigned Student Credit Card Scheme for interest-free loans up to `4 lakh, and the inauguration of the Bihar Yuva Ayog. Modi will also dedicate the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University and lay foundation stones for new academic facilities in four universities under the PM-USHA scheme. In addition, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the new Bihta campus of NIT Patna, distribute appointment letters to over 4,000 newly recruited candidates in the Bihar government, and release `450 crore in scholarships for 25 lakh school students through direct benefit transfer. Officials said the initiatives are expected to expand opportunities for India’s youth while positioning Bihar as a growing hub for skilled manpower.
