Delhi, 4 October (H.S.):
In a landmark push toward youth empowerment, education, and skilling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil multiple transformative initiatives worth more than ₹62,000 crore at 11 a.m. today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The programme, themed around “Kaushal Bharat, Samarth Bharat,” will mark a major step toward reshaping India’s skill and education ecosystem, with a special focus on Bihar.
The Prime Minister will launch the PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) — a centrally sponsored scheme involving an investment of ₹60,000 crore for upgrading 1,000 Government ITIs nationwide.
The initiative will adopt a hub-and-spoke model with 200 hub ITIs and 800 spoke ITIs, integrating advanced infrastructure, smart classrooms, digital learning, and incubation centres. The PM-SETU scheme, supported by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, will make India’s ITI network government-owned but industry-managed.In its first phase, special emphasis will be placed on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs established in Navodaya Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Residential Schools across 34 States and Union Territories. These labs aim to provide practical training in 12 high-demand sectors including information technology, electronics, agriculture, automotive, logistics, and tourism, aligning with the National Education Policy 2020.
Focus on Bihar:
Empowering Youth and Education
Highlighting Bihar’s pivotal role in youth-driven growth, the Prime Minister will launch the revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana, under which nearly 5 lakh graduate youth will receive a monthly allowance of ₹1,000 for two years alongside free skill development courses.
The Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme will also be relaunched with enhanced provisions of interest-free educational loans up to ₹4 lakh, benefiting lakhs of students from economically weaker backgrounds.
Further, PM Modi will inaugurate the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University in Bihar, aimed at imparting industry-oriented and vocational education. He will also formally launch the Bihar Yuva Ayog, a statutory youth commission to mobilize the aspirations of citizens aged 18 to 45 for development and leadership opportunities.
Expanding Academic and Research Infrastructure
In a major boost to Bihar’s higher education landscape, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for new academic and research facilities under PM-USHA (Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) across four universities — Patna University, Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University (Madhepura), Jai Prakash Vishwavidyalaya (Chapra), and Nalanda Open University. These projects, with a combined outlay of ₹160 crore, are designed to benefit over 27,000 students through upgraded laboratories, hostels, and multidisciplinary learning spaces.
The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation the new Bihta campus of NIT Patna, which can accommodate over 6,500 students and houses an Innovation and Incubation Centre, a 5G Use Case Lab, and a Regional Academic Centre for Space in collaboration with ISRO.
Youth Recognition and Welfare Measures
A highlight of the day’s programme will be the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh, the national skill convocation ceremony where the Prime Minister will felicitate 46 ITI toppers from across India. He will also distribute appointment letters to over 4,000 newly recruited Government of Bihar employees and release ₹450 crore in scholarships through Direct Benefit Transfer to 25 lakh students under the Mukhyamantri Balak/Balika Scholarship Scheme.
By integrating skilling, education, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure, the initiatives being launched today are expected to pave the way for a more capable, confident, and future-ready generation — catalysing India’s growth with a major focus on Bihar’s youth potential.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
