New Delhi [India], October 4 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar virtually attended a skill convocation ceremony for ITI toppers from across the country on Saturday, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented certificates to the students during Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh 2025.

On this occasion, Kumar highlighted the state government's initiatives to empower the youth, including the establishment of the Bihar Youth Commission and the Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University.

'It is a matter of great joy that today a skill convocation ceremony has been organised for ITI toppers from across the country. In this program, Prime Minister Modi has awarded certificates to the students and girls of these institutions... The Youth Commission and Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University have been established in Bihar... Through this, appointment letters for jobs are being distributed to the youth of Bihar, and scholarships are being provided to 25 lakh students... This will benefit the people of Bihar a lot...'

Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Skill University aims to offer industry-oriented courses and vocational education, thereby creating a globally competitive workforce.

Bihar Youth Commission will recommend and provide inputs to the government on key issues concerning the development and welfare of the youth, coordinating with various government departments to ensure better education and employment prospects.

The government has set a target to provide government jobs and employment opportunities to one crore youths over the next five years.

Moreover, PM-SETU, a centrally sponsored scheme with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore, aiming to upgrade 1,000 government ITIs across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched several youth-focused initiatives worth more than Rs 62,000 crore on Saturday.PM Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU), a centrally sponsored scheme with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore.

The scheme envisages the upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs across the country in a hub-and-spoke model comprising 200 hub ITIs and 800 spoke ITIs. Each hub will be connected to four spokes on average, creating clusters equipped with advanced infrastructure, modern trades, digital learning systems and incubation facilities.

Anchor Industry Partners will manage these clusters, ensuring outcome-based skilling aligned with market demand. Hubs will also house innovation centres, training-of-trainers facilities, production units and placement services, while spokes will focus on expanding access.

The PM-SETU aims to redefine the ITI ecosystem, making it government-owned but industry-managed, with global co-financing support from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. In the first phase of the scheme implementation, there will be special focus on ITIs in Patna and Darbhanga.

PM Modi also inaugurated 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs established in 400 Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across 34 States and Union Territories.

These labs will equip students, including those in remote and tribal areas, with hands-on training in 12 high-demand sectors such as IT, automotive, agriculture, electronics, logistics and tourism.

Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and CBSE curriculum, the project also involves the training of 1,200 vocational teachers to deliver industry-relevant learning and create an early foundation for employability.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar, PM Modi launched Bihar's revamped Mukhyamantri Nishchay Svyam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana, under which nearly five lakh graduate youth every year will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 for two years, along with free skill training.

He launched the redesigned Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme, which will provide completely interest-free education loans of up to Rs 4 lakh, significantly easing the financial burden of higher education. More than 3.92 lakh students have already availed loans worth more than Rs 7,880 crore under the scheme.

Further strengthening youth empowerment in the state, Bihar Yuva Ayog, a statutory commission for people between the ages of 18 and 45, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister to channelise and harness the energies of the state's young population.

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

Taking forward the National Education Policy 2020, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for new academic and research facilities in four universities of Bihar, namely 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).

Together, these projects, with a total allocation of Rs 160 crore, will benefit more than 27,000 students by enabling modern academic infrastructure, advanced laboratories, hostels and multidisciplinary learning.

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

The Prime Minister distributed appointment letters to more than 4,000 newly recruited candidates in the Government of Bihar and released 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. (ANI)