Haryana to expand ITIs, launch AI hubs under Vision 2047

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said the state will be developed as a global education hub, with AI hubs in Panchkula and Gurugram, hard skills training for two lakh youth and a major expansion of skill development infrastructure under the ‘Viksit Bharat Vision 2047’.

Presiding over a review meeting of the Employment, Skill Development and Industrial Training Department and the Haryana Skill Development Mission, Saini said AI hubs are being established in Panchkula and Gurugram to familiarise youth with Artificial Intelligence, while two lakh young people will receive hard skills training.

He also announced that all existing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state will be upgraded and a regional centre of Shri Vishwakarma Skill University will be set up in Fatehabad, which will function as a Centre of Excellence.

The chief minister directed officials to conduct a survey of youth, with special identification of technically skilled candidates, and said new industry-oriented courses should be introduced in ITIs to improve employability.

He also noted that financial assistance is being provided to youth for self-employment under the PM SVANidhi Yojana, according to an official statement.

Saini said youth who have qualified the Haryana Common Eligibility Test (CET) will be guaranteed 100 hours of work. Those who do not secure employment for two years will receive an allowance under the Saksham Yuva Yojana.

A survey has identified 5,40,428 CET-qualified youth, and they will begin receiving the scheme’s benefits from November 1, he said.

Qualifying the Haryana Common Eligibility Test (CET), conducted by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, enables candidates to apply for Group C and Group D (non-gazetted) state government jobs.

The chief minister said the government plans to establish a Model ITI in every district to introduce new-age training programmes for youth.

ITIs will also be opened at the block level. Of the state’s 143 blocks, 117 already have functioning ITIs. New institutes will be established at Jhojhu Kalan, Kari Rupa and Rankauli in Charkhi Dadri district, and at Pillukhera. The Women’s ITI at Narnaul is being upgraded, while construction of ITIs is underway at Barwala in Panchkula district, Basantpur in Kurukshetra district and Nalvi Khurd.

Saini said centres offering training in Artificial Intelligence, robotics and drone technologies are being established in Karnal, Panchkula and Panipat. The centres will be equipped with modern machinery, with Rs 20 crore being spent on the project.

He also said five youth from Haryana have been selected for a world-level skills competition to be held in China in September. Medal winners will receive financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh and assured employment.

A State-Level Art and Culture Centre for Skill Faculty Training will also be established at Umri village in Kurukshetra. Besides this, Entrepreneurship Development Centres will be set up at Fatehabad, Sultanpur and Antehri.

During the meeting, Saini directed officials to develop an AI portal carrying complete data on ITIs and skill development programmes so that information can be accessed and utilised immediately as per requirements.

He said review meetings on ITI and skill development initiatives will be held every three months to ensure timely implementation of the schemes and make Haryana’s youth employment-ready.