PM Modi Launches Rs. 62,000 Crore Youth Development Package: Bihar Receives Special Focus With Monthly Aid For Graduates

PM Modi will also launch the redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme. (File)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to unveil a comprehensive package of youth-focused initiatives with a total investment exceeding Rs. 62,000 crore, marking a significant advancement in youth development across India.

The launch event will be held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi at 11 AM, introducing programs designed to substantially enhance educational opportunities, skill development frameworks, and entrepreneurial support nationwide.

As part of the event, the fourth edition of the National Skill Convocation (Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh) will recognize 46 All India Toppers from Industrial Training Institutes under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, aligning with the Prime Minister's vision for skill excellence.

The Prime Minister will introduce PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs), a centrally sponsored scheme with an allocation of Rs. 60,000 crore. This initiative will upgrade 1,000 government ITIs throughout India using a hub-and-spoke model comprising 200 hub ITIs connected to 800 spoke ITIs.

Each hub will coordinate with four spoke institutions on average, forming clusters with cutting-edge infrastructure, modern trade facilities, digital learning systems, and incubation centers. These clusters will be managed by Anchor Industry Partners to ensure market-aligned, outcome-based skill training. Hub institutions will feature innovation centers, trainer development facilities, production units, and placement services, while spoke institutions will focus on expanding accessibility.

PM-SETU represents a transformative approach to India's ITI ecosystem, creating a government-owned but industry-managed framework with financial support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. The initial implementation phase will prioritize ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs established across 400 Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools in 34 States and Union Territories. These facilities will provide students, including those in remote and tribal regions, with practical training in 12 high-demand sectors such as IT, automotive, agriculture, electronics, logistics, and tourism. In alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 and CBSE curriculum, this project includes training for 1,200 vocational teachers to deliver industry-relevant instruction and establish early foundations for employability.

The program places special emphasis on transformative projects in Bihar, honoring the state's rich heritage and youthful demographic. Prime Minister Modi will launch Bihar's revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana, providing nearly five lakh graduate youth with a monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000 for two years, along with free skill training annually.

Additionally, he will launch the redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, offering completely interest-free education loans up to Rs. 4 lakhs to reduce the financial burden of higher education. The scheme has already benefited more than 3.92 lakh students with loans totaling over Rs. 7,880 crore. Furthering youth empowerment in Bihar, the Prime Minister will formally inaugurate the Bihar Yuva Ayog, a statutory commission for citizens aged 18 to 45, designed to channel and harness the potential of the state's young population.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University in Bihar, envisioned to deliver industry-oriented courses and vocational education to develop a globally competitive workforce.

Advancing the National Education Policy 2020's vision for improved higher education, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone for new academic and research facilities across four Bihar universities: Patna University, Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University in Madhepura, Jai Prakash Vishwavidyalaya in Chapra, and Nalanda Open University in Patna, under the PM-USHA (Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan).

These projects, with a combined allocation of Rs. 160 crores, will benefit over 27,000 students by providing modern academic infrastructure, advanced laboratories, hostels, and multidisciplinary learning opportunities.

Prime Minister Modi will dedicate the Bihta campus of NIT Patna to the nation. With capacity for 6,500 students, this campus features advanced facilities including a 5G use case lab, a Regional Academic Centre for Space established with ISRO collaboration, and an Innovation and Incubation Centre that has already supported nine start-ups.

The Prime Minister will also distribute appointment letters to more than 4,000 newly recruited candidates in the Government of Bihar and release Rs. 450 crores in scholarships through Direct Benefit Transfer to 25 lakh students of Class 9 and 10 under the Mukhyamantri Balak/Balika Scholarship Scheme.

These initiatives are expected to create significant opportunities for India's youth by integrating education, skill development, entrepreneurship, and improved infrastructure, establishing a solid foundation for national progress. With particular focus on Bihar, the state is positioned to emerge as a center for skilled workforce development, contributing to both regional and national growth.