Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a series of landmark initiatives worth over Rs 62,000 crore, aimed at empowering the youth through education, skill development, and entrepreneurship. The launch will take place at 11 am on Friday at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
At the heart of the programme is the PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) scheme, a centrally sponsored project with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore. The initiative will upgrade 1,000 government ITIs into industry-linked clusters in a hub-and-spoke model. Each hub ITI will be connected with four spoke ITIs, featuring advanced trades, digital systems, innovation centres, incubation units and placement services. Global financial support will come from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, with initial focus on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs in 400 Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across 34 states and union territories. These labs, aligned with NEP-2020 and CBSE curriculum, will train students in 12 high-demand sectors, supported by 1,200 vocational teachers.
A special emphasis will be laid on Bihar, with the launch of a revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana, offering a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for two years to nearly 5 lakh graduate youth, along with free skill training. The redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme will provide interest-free loans of up to Rs 4 lakh for higher education.
Further, Modi will inaugurate the Bihar Yuva Ayog, a statutory commission for people aged 18–45, and dedicate the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University to impart industry-oriented courses.
The PM will also lay the foundation for modern academic facilities in four universities under the PM-USHA scheme — Patna University, Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University (Madhepura), Jai Prakash Vishwavidyalaya (Chapra), and Nalanda Open University (Patna). With a total allocation of Rs 160 crore, the project will benefit over 27,000 students.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will dedicate the Bihta campus of NIT Patna, with facilities including a 5G use case lab, an ISRO-backed Regional Academic Centre for Space, and an incubation hub supporting start-ups.
On the occasion, Modi will distribute appointment letters to over 4,000 newly recruited government employees in Bihar and transfer Rs 450 crore in scholarships to 25 lakh students of Classes 9 and 10 under the Mukhyamantri Balak/Balika Scholarship Scheme.
Officials said the initiatives mark a transformative step in strengthening India’s youth potential. With Bihar as a focus, the state is expected to emerge as a hub for skilled manpower, contributing significantly to regional and national growth.