Indias Youth Hold Extraordinary Potential, PM-Setu Can Transform ITIs into Centers of Excellence: Jayant Chaudhary

Kolkata, August 17: Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary, emphasized on Monday that India’s youth possess remarkable ambition and capability. He stated, “It is our responsibility to connect this potential with future-ready skills and real opportunities.”

Chaudhary highlighted that the PM-Setu scheme offers a historic opportunity to redevelop ITIs into vibrant centers of excellence, innovation, and aspiration.

Addressing the regional conference ‘Skill Manthan’ organized by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in Kolkata, he noted that the success of PM-Setu will ultimately be reflected in the careers, enterprises, and improved socio-economic opportunities available to the youth.

He remarked, “India’s youth have extraordinary ambition, adaptability, and potential. It is our duty to link this capability with industry-valued skills and real opportunities.”

Furthermore, he advocated for the PM-Setu scheme to be implemented as a comprehensive institutional reform. This requires enhanced coordination among the central government, states, industries, and training institutions.

Chaudhary urged states to align PM-Setu clusters with priority economic value chains, industrial corridors, MSME centers, emerging technologies, and upcoming investments.

He emphasized that spoke ITIs should have reliable access to hub laboratories, master trainers, career services, and employer networks.

“PM-Setu provides us with a historic opportunity to redefine ITIs as centers of excellence, innovation, and aspiration. Achieving this will necessitate strong coordination among the center, states, industries, and training institutions. Policies, infrastructure, and investments must be learner-centric. Its success will ultimately be visible in the careers, enterprises, and socio-economic advancements we enable for our youth,” Chaudhary concluded.

Ministers and senior officials from participating states and union territories attended the conference. The aim was to strengthen coordination between the center and states while advancing an industry-linked, outcome-oriented skill development mechanism.