New Delhi: Around a dozen large companies have shown interest in collaborating with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship on the ₹60,000-crore National Scheme for upgrading Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), according to a news report by ET. Among these companies, Reliance and Adani Group have expressed interest in upgrading ITIs in Gujarat.

As per the report, eight major corporate groups—including Reliance, Adani, Mahindra, JK Cement, Jindal, Toyota India, Schneider Electric, and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel—have already shared with the ministry their preferred states and the specific sectors where they would like to set up “hub and spoke” ITIs to offer skills training. Furthermore, discussions are ongoing with several other major companies.

Under the proposed hub and spoke model, the main ITIs (hubs) will act as central training centres and resource hubs, while affiliated vocational institutes (spokes) will use these resources to deliver specialised training. Approved by the Union Cabinet in May, the scheme aims to modernise 1,000 ITIs and train two million young people over five years with industry-relevant courses designed to meet workforce demands.

Funding for the scheme includes ₹30,000 crore from the Centre, ₹20,000 crore from state governments, and ₹10,000 crore from industry. Additionally, half of the central share will be co-financed equally by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

The report states that Reliance Group has shortlisted Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh for training in renewables, retail, advanced manufacturing, and petrochemical engineering. Meanwhile, Adani Group has proposed to upgrade ITIs in Gujarat, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and the Northeast, focusing on solar power, drones, and port operations. DeshGujarat