In a strategic move to enhance skill development efforts, Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (I/C) and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, met with Kapil Dev Agrawal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Vocational Education and Skill Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh. The meeting took place at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi, and was attended by senior officials from both the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Uttar Pradesh government. The discussion cantered around strengthening Centre-State collaboration for effective implementation of flagship skilling programs such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), PM Vishwakarma, and the Swavalambini Women Entrepreneurship Programme.

The Principal Secretary of Uttar Pradesh’s Skill Development Department provided an overview of the state’s performance, reporting the training of over 24.73 lakh candidates under PMKVY. Under the new PMKVY 4.0 initiative, over 93,000 individuals have enrolled in cutting-edge job roles such as Drone Service Technician, AI – Machine Learning Engineer, Electric Vehicle Service Technician, and Solar PV Installer.

In support of traditional artisans, PM Vishwakarma has enabled the training of nearly 1.08 lakh craftspeople through 405 training centres across the state. To encourage entrepreneurship, over 450 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs and 145 Entrepreneurship Development Programs have been conducted.

A major point of discussion was the National ITI Upgradation Scheme, which aims to modernize 1,000 ITIs under a Rs 600 billion hub-and-spoke model, funded by Central and State Governments and industry partners. With 3,258 ITIs across 75 districts, Uttar Pradesh is positioned to play a significant role in this transformation.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to align skilling efforts with industry needs and national priorities, ensuring Uttar Pradesh becomes a key centre for skilled workforce development.