AM/NS India Signs ₹200-Crore Agreement to Upgrade Four ITIs in Andhra Pradesh

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has signed an agreement with the Government of India and the Andhra Pradesh government to upgrade four government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the Visakhapatnam cluster, under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme. The project has an approved investment of ₹200 crore.

The agreement establishes the framework for implementing the planned upgrades, with a dedicated special purpose vehicle (SPV) to be formed to manage the project and its operations. AM/NS India will hold a 51% stake in the entity, while the central and Andhra Pradesh governments will each hold 24.5%.

The initiative covers Government ITI (Old), Kancharapalem; Government ITI (Girls), Industrial Estate, Visakhapatnam; Government ITI, Bobbili; and Government ITI, Narsipatnam. Kancharapalem will serve as the main training centre, supporting the other three institutes through shared facilities and resources.

The planned upgrades include modernising training infrastructure, revising existing courses, introducing new trades and improving instructor training. The objective is to bring technical education closer to industry requirements and help students develop practical skills relevant to manufacturing and related sectors.

AM/NS India will implement the project in partnership with New Age Makers’ Institute of Technology (NAMTECH), which will contribute academic and technical expertise. The agreement follows approval of the Visakhapatnam cluster’s strategic investment plan by the National Steering Committee, making it the first plan approved under the PM-SETU scheme.

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for IT, Electronics and Communication, Human Resource Development and Real-Time Governance, said the partnership would help students acquire practical skills sought by employers. AM/NS India Director and Vice President for Human Resources and Administration Ashutosh Telang said the company would bring its manufacturing experience together with NAMTECH’s technical education expertise.

The Andhra Pradesh project forms part of two separate agreements signed by AM/NS India under PM-SETU. The other covers five government ITIs in Gujarat’s Surat cluster. Together, the initiatives cover nine institutes with a combined approved investment of ₹440 crore.

PM-SETU has a total outlay of ₹60,000 crore and aims to upgrade 1,000 government ITIs through industry partnerships, while strengthening five National Skill Training Institutes. The Visakhapatnam project is intended to improve technical training and employment prospects for young people in the region.